The Inimical
by bri wesmoreland
Summary: An ancient, evil, alien presence is mentally, physically and sexually assaulting the crew of the Enterprise. Archer and his team join a group of alien hunters who have tracked this life form for half a century only to learn the shocking truth: the alien is seeking only one individual, a mate. Will Archer allow a sacrifice to save the ship? Who will be the sacrificial lamb? (TnT)
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE  
>THE INIMICAL<p>

Crewman Ronald Ware and Jamie Madison had been listening intently at their Commanding Officer, Charles "Trip" Tucker, III, Chief Engineer of the Star Ship Enterprise. He was a brilliant engineer and an exceptional CO. They had been literally stumped trying to get the repairs and upgrades done on the shuttle pod in launch bay two. Jamie was one of Trip's engineers and Ron was a part of Lt. Malcom Reed's Security team. They had been assigned the task of installing the minimal weapons systems on the pod. Trip had taken pity on them and lent a hand after two long shifts and little success.

"Commander, I don't know how to thank you," Jamie blushed, "we would have been here all night if you hadn't helped us out."

"No problem Jamie," Trip smiled, "but in the future, if you get in trouble, remember, there is no shame in askin' for a little help."

"That's my fault sir," Ron confessed. "She wanted to a couple of times, but I guess I wanted to impress you and Lt. Reed and get it done without any help from you guys. Guess that was pretty dumb huh?"

"Don't beat yourself up Ronnie," Trip replied. "I can appreciate the initiative, but I'd rather not see you have to work through two straight shifts, miss dinner and get to bed late to try and impress me. Next time just ask for help, nobody will think any less of you for it, alright."

"Aye sir," the two crewman said at the same time.

"Now you two go get somethin' to eat and get to bed, I'll clean up here," Trip said.

"Oh no sir," Ron replied. "There's no way I can let you do clean up after you saved our carcasses. If it's all the same to you I'd rather see you and Jamie get food and sleep and I'll take a few more minutes and clean up. I'll be along after that." Jamie and Trip looked at each other.

"I'm really starving Sir," Jamie said. "I'd really like to see what's left in the mess to eat."

"Okay sure," Trip replied. "I'll save you a seat, cause that's directly where I'm headin'. But don't be too long, cause I'm pretty beat, I'm hittin' the hay directly after that. Later Ronnie, Jamie."

"Nite Sir," and thanks again," Ron said as he and Jamie watched Trip walk away.

"He is just so cool," Ron said.

"He's cool alright!" Jamie beamed. "But hot as hell on top of that!"

"Ppsshh," Ron said, "You women."

"I mean look at him!" Jamie grinned, "those eyes, that smile, and that ass!"

"Jamie!"

"You know what, think I'm gonna skip dinner after all. I couldn't eat a bite sitting at the same table across from my CO. I'd be way too nervous, and besides, got other things on my mind right about now," she said fanning herself.

"Hey, if you need some assistance, I'm available," he grinned as Jamie rolled her eyes.

"Good night Ronnie," she said waiving him off as she walked toward the exit.

"Nite J," he said and returned to his duties.

Trip's Quarters. 2300 Hours.

Trip was exhausted. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed after he had finished his hot shower and pulled on Starfleet issue sleep wear. He had not planned on pulling that extra shift but just couldn't leave those two crewmen alone with that disaster in launch bay two. He had not said it, but Jamie and Ron had made a royal mess of things and he was just too tired to read them the riot act or to even take them through the step by step corrective action plan. He would pull them aside another day and go though it with them, but had just been too tired to do it tonight.

Trip started for a moment to check his messages one last time, then waived that thought away. It could wait. Sleep, that's all he wanted, a few hours of peaceful, blissful, uninterrupted sleep. He usually slept no more than four-five hours a night anyway, but many times he functioned off of just three hours of sleep, especially when there was a crisis or something going on. Needing less sleep than the average person was not uncommon for people like Trip Tucker-brilliant, over-achieving, genius-types.

Trip flopped down on the bed and within moments had started to drift off into a wonderland of restful sleep. But then something startled him, as if someone had entered his room. He felt what seemed like a rush of wind which made him jump and quickly turn around.

"What the hell," he muttered, looking around his quarters. But there was no one there. "Must be more tired than I thought," he whispered to himself and lay back down. A few moments later, there it was again; a sensation, or a feeling that someone or something was watching him. All of a sudden he felt cold, really cold.

He reached for his blanket at the end of his bed and covered himself, but by now he had begun to shiver. He sat up in the bed and looked around. "Ah hell," he sighed out loud. "Something must be wrong with the environmental controls," he said, thinking that he better get down to engineering and take a look before the complaints started rolling in. But as soon as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, something grabbed his right foot.

All of a sudden he was on the floor and being dragged by an unseen assailant. "Hey! What's going on! What the hell is this! Stop it!" he yelled to no one. All of a sudden he felt something or someone grab him around his neck and lift him up against the wall. Whatever it was had its hand around his neck so tight he couldn't breathe. Just when he was about to lose consciousness, it let him go and he slid down the wall onto the floor. Gasping for air, Trip tried to get to his feet and make a run for the door. It was one thing to stand and fight, but quite another to try and fight an enemy he couldn't see.

That's when she appeared. A woman. She looked no more than about 40 years old or so. She had dark hair, a short cropped hair cut and pointed ears! She wore a closely fitted black cat suit and a multi-colored see-through robe on top of it. "T'Pol?" he asked. '_No, it couldn't be, could it?' he wondered. _"Who are you?" Trip shouted when he finally found his voice. "How did you get in here? What do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious what I want," she said in a slithering voice. "I want you!"

With that she sprang on him knocking him over backwards, hard onto the floor. He hit his head and it started to bleed. Then she sprang on top of him and began to tear his flesh with her bare hands. She ripped his chest, his arms and his face as he tried to struggle beneath her, but she was too strong. Plus he was dazed from having his head hit the floor so hard. But that didn't stop the assailant. She laid her hands on his heart and created a sensation inside her victim's body as if his heart were going to burst from his chest. He screamed but no sound came out.

When she released him for a few seconds, he found his strength and punched her in the face as hard as he could several times. She was dazed for a few minutes and fell backwards. He then scrambled to his feet, holding his chest, bleeding and struggling to breathe. He grabbed a chair and flung it over her head as hard as he could, but she simply deflected it and it crashed against the wall. Then she grabbed him and flung him against the wall.

"You are afraid, aren't you! You are terrified! I can smell the fear! Tell me, tell how much you fear me!" she shouted. But Trip could not speak, so she grabbed him and threw him against the wall again.

When he slipped to the floor this time, she straddled him and placed both her hands against his temples, invading the deep recesses of his mind. Again, he tried to scream, but couldn't. When she had finished assaulting his mind, she ripped his clothes off of him- and assaulted his body, against his will, forcing him to perform vile sexual acts over and over again all the while causing him to see the worst violence he had ever experienced and implanted other gruesome violent acts in his mind.

"Please stop!" he cried out when he finally found his voice. "Please, I don't wanna do this, can't…do this any…more!"

"You hate it!

"Yes!" he replied.

"You hate me!"

"Yes!" he cried and pleaded for his assailant to stop her abuse of him as he had no desire for this creature. But she was relentless, and he had no control over his own body, so he vomited, then spewed out blood when the contents of his stomach was empty. But still the assault continued...

Jamie Madison's Quarters 23:43 hours.

Jamie Madison jumped out of the shower and toweled herself off quickly. The shower had been purposely cool considering the condition she had been in when she got into it. Now she was thinking it had been a bad idea because now she was shivering. She patted her hair dry and quickly pulled her robe on and tied it in front of her. No sooner than she had done so than it was ripped off of her. Before she could react something grabbed her and flung her across the room. She landed against the far wall and slid onto the floor. Nose and mouth bleeding and feeling pain all over her body, she slowly tried to push herself up from the floor and face her attacker, but there was no one there. She screamed a terrifying, blood curdling scream.

Jamie started to drag her broken body across the floor of her quarters desperately trying to reach the door to the exit. But something grabbed her from behind and abruptly turned her over. Then, she felt something or someone straddle her. Suddenly it appeared. It was a woman. Jamie tried to struggle, but this woman, or creature, or thing, whatever it was, was incredibly strong.

"Do you fear me?" it spoke to her in a hideous snarl. "Of course you do! I can feel the fear, sense it, smell it!" She licked Jamie's face and kissed her on the lips with a violent kiss that made Jamie sick. Then she bit the young woman's lip and face until it bled.

Jamie struggled to get free and the assailant laughed. With that the creature began to rip Jamie's flesh. She writhed and screamed from the assault. Then the creature laid her hands on Jamie's face and entered her mind conjuring and implanting images of the worst kind, rape, mass murders, death and destruction. The violence caused the young woman's mind and heart to feel as if it would explode all the while she could feel the thrusting motions and the pressure of the rape. The horror of the experience caused Jamie's body to convulse violently. Suddenly, she heard a loud thud as if something had crashed into the floor. She smelled blood. She felt something warm about her head. She saw darkness. Then there was only a dead …silence.

Shuttle Bay Two, 2400 Hours.

Ronald Ware was just finishing up the assignment in launch bay two. It had taken him longer than he thought. But he didn't mind. He really did want to do a good job since Commander Tucker had been so gracious about helping out and had not been the least bit of a jerk about it. He hadn't yelled at them or even chastised him and Jamie a bit about making such a mess of a fairly simple project. But now he was dead tired. It was late and he wouldn't get much sleep before he had to report to duty again, and Lt. Reed wasn't as lenient as Commander Tucker so he knew he had to be on time and sharp as a tack to boot. Just as he was turning to leave he suddenly felt a cold burst of wind.

'_What was that_?' he thought looking around. '_There're no windows in here.'_ Then it happened again. But this time the temperature in the room dropped to a freezing cold. It was as if someone modified the environmental controls down to zero below. Ron began to shiver and his teeth began to chatter. He made a mad dash to the exit and pushed the control button but nothing happened. He pressed it again, then again.

"Hey!" he called out. "Is this some kind of a joke?" But, no one answered. "Jamie? Jamie, stop messing around will ya and open the door."

"There is no Jamie here," a snake-like voice slithered. Then a strange woman appeared in a shadow-like form. Ron was startled.

"W-who are y-you? W-where d-did you come from!"

"That is of no consequence Ronald."

"H-how d-did you get in h-here?"

"That is not the question. The question is, are you afraid?"

"What do you want? Who are you?"

"I'll answer for you," the creature snarled, "Yes you are afraid! You are terrified!" With that she leapt on him and began to tear his flesh as she dove into his mind bringing forth and implanting violent images of death and destruction. She ripped his clothing from his body and straddled him causing him to quench her sexual desire as she continued to violate his mind until it became a desert waste land. When she left him, he lay naked, body convulsing…eyes staring blankly… at no one.


	2. 2 The Wreckage

CHAPTER TWO  
>THE WRECKAGE<p>

That Same Night.

Trip lay on the floor of his quarters, not knowing how long he had been there when he finally realized he was not dead. He tried to get up but couldn't, there was too much pain and too much blood. So he dragged himself by his right arm just far enough to reach the comm on his desk and depressed the button.

"T-Tucker…to…sick bay…" he managed to get out.

"Go ahead," Dr. Phlox answered. He, of course wasn't asleep as Denobulans needed very little.

"H-he…lpppp!" is all Trip could say, then fell to the floor, unconscious.

Sick Bay, 01:10 hours.

Captain Archer and Malcolm Reed paced the floor of sick bay back and forwards, almost running into one another a couple of times. Sub Commander T'Pol just leaned up against a bio-bed with her arms folded in front of her.

"What the hell's taking so long?" Archer snapped. "When's he going to tell us something?"

"I am certain Captain, the doctor will inform us of something, when he has something to tell us," T'Pol stated calmly. Archer just glared at her. Before he could respond, Dr. Phlox appeared from behind a curtained off section of sick bay.

"Doctor, how is he! Is he going to be okay!" the Captain started.

"What happened to him? Did he say anything?" Malcolm said almost simultaneously with the Captain. Phlox raised his hand as if to say, one at a time.

"I am afraid Commander Tucker has been the victim of a most heinous and vicious attack. He has a skull fracture, a serious concussion, broken collar bone, a bruised kidney, some internal bleeding and four broken ribs, along with lacerations all over his body. He was beaten pretty badly."

"How? Who did this?" the Captain shouted.

"I cannot answer those questions Captain, but whoever did this to Commander Tucker, is a telepath. He was also the victim of a mental assault. His neuro pathways are damaged. And, I'm afraid there's more," Phlox said."

"More!" Malcolm exclaimed. "How could there possibly be more?"

"Unfortunately, there is, and it gets worse," Phlox replied. "The attacker was apparently a woman, a very strong, telepathic woman."

"How do you know that?" Archer asked.

"There is evidence of sexual activity, of a violent nature I might add."

"What!" Archer and Reed shouted together. T'Pol flinched, but did not speak. She was disturbed by what she was hearing, but maintained her control.

"The Commander has uh, bite marks, cuts and wounds in his genital area, semen and a great deal of blood loss. There was a chemical compound mixed in with the samples I took from him. It was secretions from a female."

Captain Archer leaned both hands on a bio bed and Malcolm stood stiffly. T'Pol continued to maintain her control, but internally she struggled.

Phlox sighed deeply and stiffened his back, looking directly at the Captain. "And I'm afraid Captain that Mr. Tucker wasn't the only victim tonight."

Archer looked up in confusion and disgust, so did Reed. "Are you saying someone else has been hurt as well?" Reed asked.

"Yes, Jamie Madison, was found in her quarters, injured in a similar fashion. She's dead Captain. The back of her head was crushed in, I could do nothing for her. Crewman Ronald Ware was found on the floor of launch bay II. He's in a state of shock. More of a catatonic-like state really. He cannot speak, nor does he respond to stimuli, he's simply staring into space."

"When were they brought in?" Archer asked, trying to control his anger.

"Each within a half hour or so of when Mr. Tucker called me from his quarters asking for help. Screaming was reported on D deck where Crewman Madison's quarters are located and crewman Ware was found after he had triggered an alarm in launch bay two while apparently trying to open the doors. Security found him. Captain, all three victims were severely beaten, mentally and sexually assaulted."

"Captain, either we have a sick individual among this crew…" T'Pol started.

"Or there is an alien aboard," Malcolm finished. "I'll get a couple of security teams together and we'll cover every corner of this boat," Malcolm almost spat out.

"Uh, one more thing Captain," Phlox interrupted. "There was also blood on Commander Tucker's hands where he had apparently struck his assailant. As I said earlier, the attacker was a female. The blood samples belong to …a, uh, a Vulcan, female."

Archer turned and looked at T'Pol. She stepped backwards a bit. "Captain, surely you know I had nothing to do with this crime," she stated almost indignantly.

"Phlox said the attacker was a telepath, and a very strong woman, a Vulcan. T'Pol, you are the only Vulcan female aboard this ship, and the only one strong enough to beat and injure a man."

"I would never do anything to harm Commander Tucker, or anyone else for that matter."

"Doctor, can you match the DNA found on the victims to anyone in particular?" Phlox looked at Archer strangely.

"Are you asking if the DNA could belong to Commander T'Pol? Well Captain, I already ran the test, it's not a match." Archer looked at T'Pol whose facial expression never changed.

"Then Malcolm must be right, we've got an alien aboard. T'Pol work with Malcolm and his team and see if you can help them in any way. Then report to engineering. Let Lt. Hess know what's happened and I will prepare to make a ship-wide announcement that we may have a dangerous alien on board and for everyone to be on guard."

"Aye Captain," Malcolm said, and turned on his heels to go.

T'Pol left with only a nod. "Take care of him," Archer said to Phlox as he turned to leave.

Six Days Later.

Trip had finally been released to his quarters. He looked tired and fragile. He was having trouble speaking and processing information due to the neurological trauma he suffered during the attack. He was also having trouble keeping his balance. His physical wounds were healing and Phlox was still monitoring him, but the psychological trauma was significant.

The next day Hoshi began working with Trip with his speech problem. She was an excellent linguist and therapist and very sensitive. She knew he was very frustrated and handled the situation delicately. She handed him a padd and asked him to sound out the words on it.

"A-a- ap-ple." He sounded out.

Ad-d-tio, add-i…ad-ddi-…shun. H-h…ard…one…"

"That's ok Commander. Take your time. The whole purpose of these exercises is to get you to practice. Nobody's here but you and me, okay."

"O-k."

"Let's try a few more." Trip nodded and looked down at the padd.

"A-a… a…a..ble" he managed to get out.

"A…a… cep..a…cep..acep…t…" he threw the padd down. "C-can't!"

"Yes, you can. Concentrate. Try not to get upset, this isn't a test, it's just an exercise. You're not going to get graded and no one's gonna send you to your room or throw you in the brig if you don't get it right," Hoshi assured Trip.

"C-can…c-can't….ev…ev'n…t-t…..t-talk…r-r...r-right!" Trip slurred, his frustration showing and causing his speech to get even worse.

Hoshi then covered his hand with hers. "Trust me," she said. "You don't have to be embarrassed with me, or ashamed. All I wanna do is help. And if that means you mess up in front of me, spit, drool, stumble over words, whatever, it's okay. It's really okay," she said smiling and rubbing his hand.

"This is me, Commander, your colleague, and most of all, your friend. You've seen me at my worst, and you stood by me, and you've helped me through some really rough spots. Please let me do the same for you."

Trip looked at Hoshi with tear brimmed eyes. He blew out a long sigh, nodded at her, then smiled. "Tr-try… a…g-gain," he said. She smiled and handed the padd back to him and they resumed their session.

Later. Trip's Quarters.

No one knew it, but Trip was actually fearful of being alone in his quarters. He kept seeing and dreaming about the attack, so he slept with the lights on if he slept at all. Most of the time he sat on his bunk with his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms around them. On this particular evening he sat thinking about Jamie and Ron. They had all been together that night right before the attack. Why had they all been attacked? Why was Jamie dead? Why was Ronnie lying in sick bay staring blankly at nothing? Trip had only visited him once. He couldn't bear to see the young man like that. Trip felt so guilty. Why had he survived the attack and they had not?

He had wanted to attend Jamie's funeral that was held a few days ago, but Captain Archer wouldn't let him and Phlox had backed him up. They said he was still too sick and emotional and it would be too difficult for him. So he was given a sedative and confined to sick bay with a medic to watch him. Suddenly his door chime chirped. He jumped.

"C-Come in," he said after calming himself. It was Malcolm. He entered and sat down in the chair across the room from Trip's bunk.

"You're up awfully late," Malcolm said. "Can't sleep?"

"W-well, y-yo.. yo…u're up t-too aren't y-yooou?" Trip slurred. "A-and no, I c-can't sleep."

"Feeling a little uneasy, perhaps a bit …afraid?"

"Not…friad!"

"Trip," Malcolm replied. "It's okay. I know I'd be afraid if it were me. A lot of people are afraid. I mean this whole thing is a quite un-nerving."

"B-but n-n… n-not… n-not…" Trip stopped and closed his eyes for a moment. Malcolm could see his frustration at his speech problem.

"But …not …you?"

"I can't afford to be afraid Trip, at least not for myself. I have to put my feelings on hold for right now. What does frighten me is what might happen to others if I'm not at my level best, what could happen to you."

"I-I..I'll be fine."

"I know. But, the Captain is counting on me to look after you, as well as everyone else on this ship, so don't go wandering off alone, understand?"

"D-Don't n-need… baby si-s-sitter."

"Nevertheless, call me if you need to go to the mess, to see Phlox, to the gym, anywhere, that is but engineering. You're not to step foot in there until further notice."

"M-mother h-hen now?"

Malcolm smiled. "Get some rest Trip. And I mean it. Call me."

"Mal," Trip said before Malcolm could leave. He stopped and looked at his friend. "W-why t-them? W-why not…m-me? So young, every t-thing t-to live for," Trip said as his eyes began to tear up. Malcolm started to feel really uncomfortable, never being good at providing comfort, but this was Trip, his best friend. He had to try, because he had been there for him on numerous occasions.

"I can't answer those questions Trip," Malcolm said. "No one can. But one thing I do know, that is that your life was spared for a reason. You were meant to be here. And the best way we can honor Jamie and Ronnie is by finding out who did this and stop them, then completing our mission. They were young, energetic and excited about being out here. They wanted more than anything to be a part of this mission, so let's make sure it continues and not let some evil, murderous, life-form put an end to it before it's time." Then he patted Trip on the back and rose up from the bunk where he had been sitting beside him.

"Now, like I said before, get some rest or I'll tell Phlox on you." Trip wiped his face with his hands, smiled a weak smile and nodded at Malcolm. A few moments later he was gone.

After a few more days of working with Hoshi, Trip's speech was almost back to normal and his balance had returned as well. Jon had explained to Trip that all the evidence pointed to the assailant being some type of alien presence. All Trip remembered was that he had seen a Vulcan female in his room the night of the attack. Malcolm, Phlox and Jon had speculated that it had to be a shape shifter of some kind. And even though Phlox had explained that T'Pol could not have been the attacker, nevertheless, Trip was becoming increasingly more and more uncomfortable around her. It would escalate at dinner that night.

Trip pushed his food around on his plate as Archer tried to make small talk with T'Pol. He tried to include Trip, but he wasn't interested. He just kept glancing over at T'Pol ever so often, like he really wanted to say something to her or ask her something, but he didn't.

"So, Trip how's the steak? I had chef make it special for you," Archer asked.

"It's fine Capt'n, and be sure to thank him for me."

"You have barely touched it," T'Pol added. "Isn't that one of your favorites?"

"Yeah, I like a dead piece of meat as much as the next guy," Trip snarled.

"Uh, ump" Archer interrupted. "So, T'Pol, how's the survey going of that binary star system you were so interested in?"

"I have not attended to that task in several days as I have been assisting Lt. Reed with finding Commander Tucker's attacker."

Trip threw his fork down. "Well too bad for you," he snapped. "Once again, Commander Tucker has managed to make your perfect little Vulcan life miserable!"

"Trip!" Archer said. "That's enough." Trip sighed and looked over at T'Pol.

"Sorry," he whispered. There was a deafening silence for several minutes. Archer could only speculate but it seemed Trip was taking his anger out on T'Pol because the attacker's DNA was said to be Vulcan.

"Okay, that's it," Archer finally said. "Trip, T'Pol, I think we need to talk about the elephant in the room."

"Elephant in the room?" T'Pol inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"The obvious problem that we're all ignoring," he explained.

"There's no problem Capt'n," Trip replied.

"Oh no? Then why do you seem to be so angry with T'Pol? I'm used to your usual bickering, but this, this is something else."

"It appears Commander Tucker somehow blames me for his attack, or even suspects me," T'Pol said.

"Or maybe you know something about it!" Trip snapped. "Wouldn't be the first time you kept secrets from us!"

"Commander I assure you, I neither had anything to do with the attack, nor do I know anything about it. I would hope that by now you would know that I would never do anything so vicious."

"It's just that you're the only one that could have done it," Trip spat. "And there's nothing to show that anyone else was on this ship, nothing!"

"Trip," Archer intervened, "Phlox said it wasn't her. The DNA didn't match up."

"Well, stranger things have happened," Trip said as he threw his napkin onto the table. He stopped for a moment and again there was dead silence. "Look T'Pol, I know you couldn't have done it. But it was dark and it happened so fast. Part of me knows it wasn't you, but part of me…I don't know. Capt'n, I'm just gonna go. T'Pol, I'm sorry, sorry for everything." As he rose so did T'Pol. She gently stepped into his pathway as if to keep him from leaving. She was just about to say something as she accidently brushed up against Trip. He recoiled as if he had been bitten by a cobra.

"Don't touch me!" he screamed. "Don't you ever touch me again! And while you're at it, don't look at me, don't talk to me, don't even think about me. Just leave me the hell alone T'Pol, ya hear me, leave me alone!"

"Trip, calm down," Archer said rising, not sure what the engineer was about to do.

"Just stay the hell away from me T'Pol. I mean it!" Trip said as his eyes filled with tears. Then he dashed out of the room without another word. T'Pol was bothered by the scene, but said nothing. She tried to straighten up as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"T'Pol, I'm sorry," Archer said. "You know he's not himself."

"You do not have to apologize Captain. I know how this must look to him. Indeed, there is quite a bit of gossip going around the ship. Many of the crew members believe that I am involved somehow." Archer winced at this. He'd heard it as well.

"I'm sorry about that too. Listen, I'm gonna go check on Trip, so I'll just say goodnight. And T'Pol, we are going to get to the bottom of this," Archer said, then he left her standing there alone. She knew that she would need much meditation tonight.

Archer left planning to check on Trip in his quarters when he was summoned by the bridge. They were about to pass through a cloud that could cause harm to the engines. It was too big to go around, so Archer hurried to the bridge.

When Captain Archer reached the bridge he was flabbergasted. "Travis, is this what you got me up here for? A clear sky? You said it was urgent!"

"Captain, it was there! I swear it. A massive thermo-baric cloud about to engulf the ship! Hoshi saw it, everybody saw it!"

"He's right Captain," Hoshi chimed in. "It was there for about five minutes or so. It wasn't on long range scanners, but suddenly it was just there. Then poof! It-it just vanished!"

"Captain, maybe we should get out of here," Travis said. "Think there may be more going on here than meets the eye. We may be in danger, falling into a trap or something."

Suddenly Hoshi received a message. "Captain, "I'm getting reports of screaming on C deck in two different crewmen's quarters!"

"Malcolm, get a security team down there!" Archer ordered.

"Right away Sir," Malcolm replied and leapt up from his station and hurried off.

"Hoshi," Archer said, "locate Trip for me," he said nervously.

"He's in his quarters Sir," she said after a few moments. Archer depressed the comm.

"Archer to Trip." There was no answer. "Captain Archer to Commander Tucker, please respond!" There was still no answer. "Hoshi! Have a security team meet me in Trip's quarters immediately!"

Malcolm found the exact scenario he had found six days ago on C deck. One crewman beaten, body ripped to shreds and already dead; the other in a similar condition, but in a catatonic state. The dead crewman had scribbled something in blood on the floor, V-U-L-C…...

Archer was horrified to find Trip pretty much in the same condition they had found him just six nights ago. He was still recovering, and now another attack. This time however, Phlox kept him sedated and confined to sick bay. Two guards were posted outside the door as per Archer's orders. No one was going to attack Trip again.

Archer called a meeting of his senior staff the very next morning. He was so angry. Something or someone was viciously assaulting and killing his crew members and he wanted it to stop.

Captain's Ready Room 0800 hours.

"Malcolm tell me you've got something to go on this time!" Archer spat.

"Captain, I want to catch this person or thing as much as you do, but there just aren't any leads. My team and I have covered every inch of this ship and the only evidence we have to go on is unfortunately what was left on our victims' bodies."

"How can this be happening?" Archer asked. How can there be no trace of any invasion? Hoshi, Are you sure there was nothing on scanner?"

"Nothing Sir. I checked three, four times. There was no evidence of a ship in range, a life form, nothing."

"What about that thermo-baric cloud Travis?"

"It was the weirdest thing Captain. Like I told you on the bridge, it was there, right there in front of us. Everyone on the bridge saw it too. Then it was gone, just gone all of a sudden. I haven't been able to find anything wrong with the navigational system; I checked it over three times, nothing Sir."

"That "cloud" had to be where that thing was hiding," Malcolm said.

"Or maybe, that cloud was actually the thing that's been attacking our people," Travis said. "Maybe we're dealing with some type of altered life form."

"That's highly possible," Archer replied. "Phlox, anything new from this latest attack?"

"No Captain, Commander Tucker's attacker caused similar injuries to him as before. It was a similar attack on the other crewmen as well a brutal physical, mental and sexual assault." Everyone cringed at Phlox's report. "Crewman Ware and Crewman Lynx remain catatonic, while our two female victims were killed."

"How is Commander Tucker?" T'Pol asked. There was a bit of tension in the room as she spoke.

"He's not well," Phlox said. "Two assaults in six days time, and he wasn't even recovered from the first one. But, this time unfortunately, it will take a little more time to restore his neurological health. The damage was significant."

"What are we talking about here doctor, and how much time is it going to take?" Malcolm asked.

"I won't know for certain until he wakes up. But I can assure you it will take more than a few days this time. He may have suffered memory loss, along with the inability to process information, speech and mobility problems as before, just on a greater scale this time."

"What you're saying is that he suffered serious brain damage," Archer said incredulously.

"As I said Captain, I won't know the extent until he wakes up, but you are correct, it is more than likely, very serious."

Suddenly there was a call from the bridge. They were being hailed. Archer had asked not to be disturbed but the visitors were insistent, they said it was a matter of life and death.


	3. 3 T'Vier

CHAPTER TWO  
>T'VIER<p>

Captain Archer along with Malcolm and two Macos met the visitors in the launch bay. They went to the conference room and wasted no time getting down to business.

"Captain, I am U'don of Zaire Beta-Dorma, it's a planetary system many light years away from here. This is Quilla, and this is Armdor. We are Hunters."

"Hunters?" Archer said looking at Reed.

"And just what are you hunting?" Reed asked.

"A creature called an Inimical," U'don replied. "We tracked its signature here."

"Captain, has your crew met with any unexplained injuries or violent attacks?" Armdor, the female of the bunch asked.

"I'll say we have," Archer replied. "But how would you know anything about that?"

"As I said Captain, we tracked the energy signature of the inimical here."

"As a matter of fact several of our crew members have met with vicious attacks over the last few days," Reed added. "We've been investigating but have not been able to find anything to lead us to the assailant. Now you show up here asking questions. How do we know you're not involved?"

The three visitors looked at one another. "I'm sure this looks suspicious," U'don said. "But if you will allow us to tell you a story, perhaps that will ease your mind. Archer and Reed looked at one another.

"Go ahead," Archer said.

"About 52 years ago several of our people in our village on Zaire Beta-Dorma were found dead. Their minds had been violated, such that they no longer had brain function. They had been violently sexually assaulted, and their bodies had been torn to shreds. We set up security teams to try and catch this assailant or assailants. But, nothing we did yielded any results, and our technology is quite advanced. Finally, after we had lost more than two dozen people over a period of months, we were finally able to capture the image of the attacker."

Quilla then opened a small box and projected an image of a person from it. "This is the image we were able to capture by ultra violet light and florescent rays," he stated. "We were unfamiliar with the species at the time, but through research, we were able to determine that this individual was a Vulcan."

"We are familiar with Vulcans," Archer said. "In fact, we're allies. My XO is a Vulcan."

"Yes, we are aware of that," U'don replied.

"So who is this person?" Reed asked, "and why is she killing our people?"

"She was a Vulcan High Priestess by the name of T'Vier," Armdor answered. "She disappeared from Vulcan almost 600 years ago. No one knew what became of her."

"That is until the inimical attacked our village all those years ago," U'don said. "That is what she is now, something that is neither living nor dead. But she can, at times, manifest herself as the Vulcan Priestess she once was. She attacked other villages, but would return to ours from time to time. Then we learned that there were other inimicus who had attacked different parts of our world as well as other planets in our system. We have been tracking this particular inimical along with several others for over fifty years."

"I don't understand," Archer said. "Our doctor was able to get DNA samples from this _inimical_ as you call it, as well as other physical evidence. How do you get that from something that isn't a living being?

"The inimicus can take several different forms, its natural state, which is a shadow form is a supernatural being. They merge at some point with non-corporeal beings which appears as only light or as a transparent figure," U'don explained. "They have a physical form as well, the life it took and incorporated into its existence. It is said that the physical form continues to be suspended somewhere between life and death. The inimical can at times manifest itself as the person it was when it was alive. That is how your doctor was able to collect physical samples from it."

"So this Vulcan woman was taken by one of these things?" Malcolm asked, "And this is how she became this "inimical?"

"Yes," Quilla said. "She was living off world at the time she was attacked by this life form. While most victims are killed, every now and then, someone survives the attack. These are the ones who are most viciously attacked and violated in the worst ways. They have been chosen to be taken and transformed into one of them. It is a way to perpetuate their existence."

"We've had five people attacked by this thing, two are dead" Archer said. "Two are alive, but they are in shock, they can't speak or respond."

"They will not survive," Armdor said and looked down.

"But, my chief engineer was attacked by this thing twice, and he survived. He's not in very good shape, but he's alive."

"Then he is the one," U'don said. "She'll be back for him. We said we are hunters Captain, but we are not the only one hunting. T'Vier is also on the hunt."

"For what?" Reed asked.

"A mate," was Quilla's reply. "And she has chosen your engineer."

"Captain, she plans to take him, to transform him into one of them," Armdor explained. "If that happens then he will roam the galaxy, hunting, assaulting and killing any life form he comes into contact with. But ultimately, what they want is to spawn a whole race of these inimicus, but they need mates to do it."

"How the hell do you know all this?" Malcolm spat out.

"Lt. Reed, we've had the unfortunate opportunity to speak with several survivors of T'Vier's attacks before they were taken by her," U'don interjected. "We learned from her mind melds with them what she and others like her were trying to do. She serves a creature called Apollyon. He is their leader. He is said to be the oldest of the inimicus, over 3000 years old."

"History, legend, or myth, we or not quite certain which, has it that Apollyon was a supernatural creature from the beginning, a demon. That the shadow forms were spawned from him and he was the first to incorporate other life forms into their existence," Quilla added. "He created the first of these creatures and since that time these things have been attacking, killing and taking other life forms for their own dark purpose."

"But this way of perpetuating their existence wasn't enough," Armdor interjected. "They wanted more. They wanted a way to spread their evil across the universe at a more rapid pace. They wanted to reproduce. And they have been trying for centuries to do so, they just haven't been successful."

"It's their belief however that anyone who survives their most violent and vicious attacks are the ones destined as their chosen mates," U'don said. "That's why T'Vier is here, that's why she will be back, she has chosen."

"Well, there is no way in hell she's getting my engineer as her demon lover," Archer said. "I'll never let that happen."

"Neither will I," Malcolm hissed. "Just tell me one thing? How do we capture it and how do we kill it?"

"There's only one way," U'don said. "But that will depend upon your engineer. These creatures feed off of fear, humiliation, anger and pain. If we can help him learn to control these negative emotions, then there is a way."

"Captain, it is imperative that we speak to your engineer right away," Armdor said. "We must appeal to him, make him understand what is at stake here."

"Well that's going to be a little difficult considering he's going to be spending the next few weeks learning how to walk and talk again," Archer snapped. He then pinched his nose between his eyes as he closed them. He took a deep breath then held his hand up. "I'm sorry," he said. "None of this is your fault. It's just that it's all so very frustrating."

"Captain we do understand," U'don replied. "We've been doing this a long time. And we've seen this before, therefore, we came prepared. We may be able to help with your engineer's brain damage. We have some rather advanced medical technology and I believe we have a substance that will restore his brain function within a few days."

"Wait a minute," Malcolm said, "How do we know this substance will work on a human? And how do we know it won't cause more damage?"

"By all means, we would allow your doctor to analyze the substance first to determine its compatibility with your species. Then the substance would only be administered in the presence of your doctor with all safety protocols in place."

"Just a minute," Archer interrupted. "You said that these things were tri-part beings, right?"

"Yes," U'don replied.

"And that part of it was a supernatural being, some kind of demon or spirit, and that it was neither living nor dead."

"That is correct Captain."

"So how the hell do you kill a supernatural being?"

"We will explain everything Captain," Armdor said. "But first, let us go back to our ship and gather some data for you to review, as well as the substance."

Archer and Reed looked at one another. Archer blew out a long sigh. Then he walked over to the comm. "Archer to Doctor Phlox."

"Phlox here," the doctor answered.

"I'd like to see you and T'Pol in my ready room right away."

"Be there momentarily Captain."

"I hope this substance of yours works. It sure would be great if Commander Tucker didn't have to suffer any permanent brain damage because of this creature's attack."

"With all due respect Captain," U'don replied. "Whether or not the substance works is the least of the Commander's worries.

The next day Trip had awakened. It was as Phlox had said, he had experienced significant brain damage. He could not speak nor walk and had trouble understanding basic functions. He could follow objects with his eyes, shake his head yes and know if he understood something or not, but that was about it.

It took Phlox and T'Pol about a day to analyze the substance that U'don had given them. It was a complicated formula that seemed to repair and almost rebuild neuro pathways as well as actual damaged brain tissue and cells. Phlox prepared a drip and administered it to Trip over a 48 hour period.

The next day Trip was awaken against Phlox's medical advice, but Captain Archer and Lt. Reed were convinced that the inimical would be back and that time was of the essence. They had to devise a plan to protect Trip and the entire crew; they had to kill this vicious creature before it killed again. To do that they needed Trip.

When he woke up this time he was not in very good shape, but he was a hell of a lot better than he was before. The substance had worked. Trip could speak and walk as well as understand and process thought. But, he had had his mind assaulted, twice and there was still collateral damage. He had a continuous headache and trouble concentrating. There was also psychological trauma. He was overcome at times with feelings of fear and deep shame at having been raped by this inimical, twice. When it was explained to him what was needed of him, he cringed.

"Wait a minute, just wait a damned minute," he said with a shaky voice. "You mean to tell me that this thing, this _inimical_ is coming back for me, that she's claiming me for her mate!"

"Yes, Commander," U'don said. "I'm afraid so."

"But this time, you don't want me to try to fight her off. I-I'm just supposed to let her do whatever the hell she wants to do to me?"

"Trip," from what I've been told it's the only way to get her to manifest herself in the physical for any period of time. It's the only way we can stop her."

"But, you're telling me I should just lay there and let her rape me again! Let her do that mind-meld on me, let her beat the hell out of me and tear my body to pieces! I can't do it! I won't!"

"What we're asking Commander, is that you learn to control your emotions. She feeds off your fear and your anger. It makes her stronger. But if you are able to let her come to you, let her take your mind and your body, willingly, without fear of her, it will cause a separation of the tri-part being and she will manifest herself physically," Armdor explained. "Then she can be killed. We have seen it done on other worlds, we have done it."

"So how the hell am I supposed to learn to control my emotions?"

"Just the negative ones," Quilla said. "It is not an easy thing to do and many have failed. But, it has been done. Commander, if you would be willing to try…

"I don't know how to do something like that! I'm human…we're emotional alright! How do you control fear, anger and…humiliation when someone…some-thing is hurtin' you, violatin' you?"

"I believe I can be of assistance with that," T'Pol spoke up. "Commander, if you will allow me, I can teach you through meditation, and by joining with your mind, how to suppress your negative emotions." Trip just stared at T'Pol. He was still trying to figure out just how to deal with her, and he didn't know if he trusted her either.

"Trip," Archer finally spoke up. "It's the only way. If you don't do this, she's going to continue to kill, and she's going to take you." Trip sighed and grimaced with pain. He held his side where he had had ribs broken. He cradled his casted left broken arm and felt the pain from his dislocated shoulder course through his body. The pain in his head was also getting worse. He closed his eyes and fell back on his pillow.

"That's enough for now," Phlox intervened. "Commander Tucker needs to rest. He is in no shape to do anything right now and all of this is greatly distressing him. So, I must ask everyone to leave."

"Think about it Trip," Archer said, looking back at his friend. "We may not have much time either. We don't know when she'll be back."

Three Days Later.

T'Pol sat in front of Trip as she began to touch his face. "My mind to your mind, my thoughts are your thoughts, our minds are one," she said as she initiated the meld. It was a strange sensation and Trip did everything he could not to resist her entry into his mind. The inimical had done this and brought up every negative emotion, painful memories and violent images he had locked away in his mind. She had also implanted violent images in his mind as well while she sexually assaulted him. T'Pol could now see and feel all of his pain, humiliation and anger. It was so overwhelming that she almost broke the meld for her own well-being. Archer, Phlox and Malcolm looked on as she continued.

Several times Trip's body shook and he grabbed her hands. He screamed out loud as if in horrific physical pain. Sweat formulated on T'Pol's forehead and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Phlox almost intervened a couple of times but Archer urged him to give it more time. Finally, Trip collapsed onto the floor, unable to bear the sheer agony of this procedure any longer. Phlox rushed to his side.

"Let's get him onto the bed," he said to Malcolm and to Archer. They picked him up and Phlox ran his scans over Trip's body. "He is exhausted and in a lot of pain." Phlox depressed a hypo-spray onto his neck as Trip continued sleeping. "Captain,' its best someone stays with him tonight. I expect he will have nightmares and he may wake up confused, frightened and in considerable pain."

"I'll stay," Malcolm volunteered before Archer could speak up.

"Very well then," Phlox said. "Then he turned to T'Pol. "Commander, I suggest you go and meditate right away. Then take this to help you sleep." T'Pol took the hypo-spray and got up from where she had been sitting.

"Captain, he needs to be ready for another meld on tomorrow," T'Pol said. "I was only able to access his negative emotions. I did not have an opportunity to help him create mental barriers to block them. I would also like to show him how to bring positive thoughts and feelings to the surface. This is all very necessary if he is to learn to control his emotions."

"He'll be ready," Malcolm said. "I'll make sure he gets some rest, that he's not disturbed by anyone and that he eats a proper meal."

"And be sure to bring him to see me before the session Lt. Reed," Phlox said. "I can give him something to calm him, to take the edge off a bit." Malcolm nodded.

"Let me walk you to your quarters," Archer said to T'Pol, seeing how shaken she was. T'Pol did not object.

When the others left, Malcolm went in to the bathroom and returned with a cold hand towel. He placed it over Trip's head as Phlox had instructed. Then he lowered the lights and covered Trip with the blanket at the end of the bed. Malcolm then sat down in the chair next to Trip's desk. He stared at his friend and shook his head. Why did the inimical have to pick on Trip? He was such a good person, such a good friend. He was the reason Malcolm had any friends at all. Now, he was even close to Hoshi and Travis and they were all more like brothers and sisters.

Malcolm then started to reminisce about all the things he and Trip had been through together over the last two years aboard Enterprise. He thought about how they had banned together to re-fit the ship with phase cannons rather than have to return home. He thought about what they experienced examining that alien ship that caused them to get caught up in a time loop and relive the same moment over and over again. He thought about how they really became close after their experience on shuttle pod one where they almost froze to death.

Malcolm had to smile when he thought about how Trip had gotten him into trouble at that alien repair station. He couldn't believe he had listened to that bloody fool that day and had gotten a pretty bad dress down from the Captain as a result. He also thought about the nightmare on Risa. They still hadn't told anyone about what really happened there. Then Malcolm thought about how brilliant his friend was. But Trip just saw himself as Trip, nothing more, nothing less. But, Malcolm, like many others, knew he was special. At that moment he determined in his mind that he would not let any more harm come to his friend. Even if it meant putting his own life on the line.


	4. 4 TheKill

CHAPTER FOUR  
>THE KILL<p>

The Next Day.

Captain Archer walked down the corridor to Trip's quarters. He was glad that the substance the hunters had provided them with had reversed his friend's brain damage. He just wished this nightmare was over. He thought about just getting the hell out of this area of space at warp five and not looking back. But there was no guarantee that they would not encounter this life form or others like it again, so running was not be the answer. According to U'don, the creature would just continue to pursue them until it took Trip, that it would never give up.

He depressed the door chime and entered Trip's room upon being invited. He found Trip looking at the material the hunters had provided them with regarding the history of the inimicus.

"How're you feeling today?" Archer asked.

Trip turned around in his seat. "I'm okay," he said. "Had a slight headache when I woke up this mornin', but it's better."

"I see you're still looking at U'don's journals."

"Capt'n, this stuff reads like somethin' out of a horror movie, you buyin' any of this?"

"I don't know Trip. A couple of weeks ago, I wouldn't have believed what happened to you and our other crewmen, but it did."

"They seem to know a lot about those things. They say they've even killed a couple of 'em. They feel pretty confident that they can kill this one," Trip said.

"Yeah," Archer replied. "Malcolm and his team is working with U'don and Quilla right now to build the weapons. And Armdor is meditating with T'Pol to teach her the incantations to use against the supernatural form."

"I-I can't believe this is happenin'," Trip said rising and pacing around. "I mean, those guys believe they can kill that thing, b-but they can't do it without me. I'm the bait, the live, non-resistant, submissive, freakin' bait!" Archer leaned up against Trip desk with his arms folded and just looked down. Trip sighed. "Capt'n I don't know if I can do this."

"You can do it," Archer replied. "Look at the alternative."

"Yeah well, I guess I could've just been gracious and went ahead and died like everyone else who was attacked, but no I had to go and survive, and look where that got me! Can't do anything right can I?"

"Trip," Archer said frowning. Trip hung his head.

"Sorry, just frustrated, and not looking forward to this little venture."

Suddenly there was a loud commotion in the corridor. There was shouting and the sound of running. Captain Archer and Trip hurried to the hallway to find Malcolm, U'don and Quilla running toward them.

"Commander," U'don shouted, "back inside, hurry. "Captain Archer, take this!" he said tossing him a high-frequency, recalibrated phase pistol.

"She's back Captain!" Malcolm called out. "Attack on C deck. Screaming reported. One dead before we could get there. We were able to interrupt the second attack before she got very far. These weapons really work, we ran her off, but it didn't take a genius to figure out where she was going next!"

"Quilla, Captain, cover the Commander," U'don called out. "Lt. Reed and I will remain here in the Corridor, it's his only…" before he could finish his sentence a transparent form appeared in the corner of the corridor. Reed and U'don fired at it. She screeched and disappeared leaving a smell like sulfur and a trail of greyish-blue smoke.

They moved around outside in the corridor and refused to allow anyone to enter or pass through it. They kept their weapons drawn and moved about watching, waiting, when suddenly she appeared inside Trip's cabin on the far wall.

"You cannot deny me what is already mine!" she hissed. Quilla and Archer fired their weapons on her as Trip crouched behind them. She moved from the wall to the ceiling in a trail of smoke so quickly that Archer wasn't able to keep up, but Quilla fired another shot at her. She screeched and disappeared, reappearing back into the corridor. U'don and Reed fired dozens of shots at her, but the creature moved almost in a blink of an eye such that they only hit the trail of smoke she left behind. She then appeared in the room once again, grabbed Trip and slammed him against the wall.

"I will stop at nothing to claim him!" she shouted, grabbed Trip from the floor and teleported out of the room with him. In the hallway, U'don and Malcolm could be heard running and firing more shots. Malcolm was very concerned about hitting Trip and stop firing, but U'don was an expert marksman and was able to make many direct hits at his target without even grazing Trip. She let out a series of loud, piercing screeches. T'Vier finally dropped him and disappeared. Trip slid to the floor and Malcolm hurried over to assist him.

Later.

Trip was not hurt, just shaken up, but of course Captain Archer had Phlox check him out anyway. Archer was incensed that another crewman was dead and that they would be having yet another funeral because of T'Vier. The crewman that was rescued from the attack was so shaken up and afraid that she had requested to return home and wanted to leave the ship via the next available transport. Dr. Phlox doubted that she would ever be able to serve on a star ship again.

This attack had happened during Alpha shift and everyone was shaken up and terrified. No one wanted to be T'Vier's next victim. The crew had a lot of questions; was this thing coming back? When was it coming back? How could they protect themselves? Who would be next? Archer had no answers for them. Many huddled together in one another's quarters at night and were unable to sleep. Others argued that the entire crew should be issued side arms to be worn at all times, but Archer refused to approve that for fear of what could happen if the entire ship went around wearing weapons like they were in the old west. Some even tendered their resignations and demanded to leave the ship.

Truly understanding what was at stake, the next day Trip resumed the meditation sessions with T'Pol as well as the mind-melds. Each time had become less and less painful. Trip could not believe how much a person could actually control his thoughts. His had always been so random. He knew how to push a thought out of his mind, but to totally control one's mind was different.

It was even more surprising to him how a person could learn to suppress his emotions. At first he could only do it for a short time, but he was doing it and practicing it daily. He was learning how to focus on nothing but positive emotions or to just go numb and feel nothing. It took a lot of discipline and control and for the first time Trip understood what T'Pol must have had to learn to do as a small child. He had a new appreciation for her as well as a whole new respect.

Several Days Later.

The hunters had tracked the inimical's signature to a small planet in a nearby system. She was lingering in a nearby cave. The hunters explained that she was hibernating so that she could regain her strength in order to claim the mate she desired. Captain Archer, Trip, Malcolm, and the three hunters took a shuttle pod to the small unknown planet surface and found her nest. They believed that taking the fight to her rather than allowing the inimical to invade Enterprise again, would alleviate the threat of others being hurt.

The hunters set up the ultra violet ray transmitter at the entrance of the cave. They all had re-calibrated phase pistols with high frequency kill settings. The pistols were now ten times their normal setting for kill. The group began to move slowly, further into the cave. Suddenly they were all flung up to the ceiling of the cave and hung there unable to move or cry out, that is everyone but Trip.

The inimical grabbed Trip and flung him deep into the cave. She grabbed him around his neck and threw him up against the wall, then fell to the floor. He grimaced with pain, but did not react otherwise. He pulled himself up from the floor and sat right where he fell. He rested his arms on his knees and started to meditate. He had learned several incantations that he was to use in the event he lost focus and the creature began to taunt him. The inimical observed his behavior for almost ten minutes then walked up to him but he did not break his concentration. She hit him with a backhand that caused him to tumble backwards in a near somersault. He looked up at her, blood leaking from his nose.

Trip could feel his anger starting to rise. But, he knew he couldn't give in to it. So, he wiped his nose on his sleeve all the while still staring at this creature, and resumed his mediation once again. This infuriated her. She still had not manifested herself fully, and she still seemed transparent or shadow like.

Suddenly, her form took on a complete shadow form and it began to grow into a huge monstrosity of about 10 feet tall. Trip started to tremble a bit. He was starting to lose control as his fear began to overcome him. He could feel a little bit of panic. _This isn't working,_ he thought. _IT'S NOT WORKING! What do I do now!_

"_Remain calm," _a voice in his head was telling him.

"_T'Pol?" _Trip thought.

"_Yes, we are telepathically linked. I will explain later, but right now, it is imperative that you remain focused. Remember what I taught you, you are strong, you can do this. She cannot win." _

"_She has the Captain and the others pinned to the wall at the entrance of the cave. She's gonna kill them all!" Trip wailed._

"_Not if you are successful at getting her to manifest herself in the physical. Please concentrate, you can do it. Remember she wants you for a mate, she needs you. She plans to take you, but she will be able to do so only if you give in to your fear."_

The inimical screeched and lunged for Trip. Before he could move or think, she was on top of him, in partial physical form. "I _will _violate you again and again and make you my mate for eternity, even as I tear the flesh from your bones!" she snarled, and dragged her finger across the left side of his face tearing a long scar down it.

"_Commander, concentrate," _the voice in his head that sounded like T'Pol said. _"She is only taunting you to get a reaction out of you. She needs you to be afraid, to be angry and humiliated. Submit yourself to her, she will not be expecting that, and she will not be able to take you. Trust me Trip!"_

Suddenly, he stopped struggling against her, his whole body relaxed and she felt it. A wave of calm rushed over him. He knew what he had to do.

"You can't violate me if I give myself freely to you," Trip replied. "I am yours every part of me, I won't resist, so do it! Do what you must!"

"You no longer fear me?"

"No, I don't fear you," and with that Trip began to recite the incantations he had learned from T'Pol and U'don's journals over and over again. This only made T'Vier angry, and weaken her resolve.

"You lie!" she screeched. "You want to save yourself, and perhaps your pathetic friends!"

"I do want to save them, and I would do anything to save them, anything. So take me and let them go!"

"You would _die_ for them?"

"Yes!" Trip said. "Yes, I would die for them!" And he meant it. He would give his life to this being freely if it meant sacrificing himself for the others. The inimical knew it too, that he was telling the truth. She let out a howling scream. Then she went from her natural form back to her transparent form, then to her physical form. This went on for a few minutes as she screamed and twitched. Then she fell forward onto the ground. Trip watched as she lay there still, but he could still hear her breathing. He slowly moved over to where she lay. He turned her over.

"Who are you?" she asked gently.

"My name is Charles Tucker, but everybody calls me Trip."

"Trip, I'm sorry for hurting you. For hurting all those others, for all those deaths."

"It's alright," Trip said. "Do you remember anything, who you were?"

"I am… I was once called T'Vier… a long, long, time ago. I- I never wanted to be… didn't want this…"

"Lie still," Trip said. "I'll get a doctor for you. You don't have to do this anymore, you can …"

"You cannot save me! I am no longer of this universe. What you see is only a reflection of what I was in the physical. I am a monster and you must do what you came here to do…you must …kill me, you do not have much time!"

"Trip!" it was Archer, Reed and the hunters. They had been released from the wall due to the inimical's's weakened state. "Stand back, we've got to kill it, now!"

With that Archer, Reed and the one of the hunters fired their recalibrated high frequency phase pistols at the inimical.

"No effect," U'don said. "Again." As they fired, suddenly the inimical returned to its natural state. It leaped up and quickly knocked Archer to the ground. It threw Reed against the wall and caused the two hunters to fall to the ground with pain in their heads. They screamed and squirmed as they held their hands over their heads.

"Hey!" Trip yelled at the creature. "We had a deal, you take me, but you leave them alone!" The inimical then caused Archer and the others to be pinned up against the wall near the ceiling of the cave once again. They would not interfere with her business again.

It then snatched Trip up by the throat and pinned him against the wall. It touched his face as to initiate a mind-meld, one that would begin the transfer process. But when it touched his mind, all it could sense was calm, serene thoughts. Then, it heard Trip's mind tell it that he still did not fear it, nor was it angry with it, but that it felt sorry for it.

The creature began to screech again. Trip pushed it off of him and it began to transform again. Trip continued to talk to it, telling it how he forgave it for hurting him and the others, that he did not hate it, but felt sorry for it. Suddenly T'Vier appeared before them. "Noowww!" she screamed to Trip. Archer threw him one of the phase pistols he was still holding in his hand. Trip shot her several times. She fell to the ground. "Thank you," she said to Trip, as her head fell to one side.

When the natural form of the inimical tried to leave T'Vier's body, Trip then hurried over to the ultra violet light U'don had brought into the cave with him. He pointed it at the creature. It withered and shook for several moments. Trip then took one of the recalibrated phase pistols and turned it to its highest settings. He pointed it at the shadow form and held the stream on it for several minutes while he repeated several incantations he had learned from T'Pol and U'don's journals. It became like a beam of light before it exploded and totally evaporated. Another beam of light circled around near the ceiling of the cave in front of Archer and the others, screeching and crying out. Before Trip could shoot it, if fell to the ground, turned black, withered and evaporated.

Trip had done it. He had suppressed and controlled his thoughts and his emotions long enough to cause the inimical's tri-part being to separate, to manifest itself physically so it could be killed. It was over. Trip wiped what he thought was tears from his eyes, then realized it was blood. He also had blood running from his nose and his ears. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

The others were immediately released from the ceiling. "We need to get him back to Enterprise," Archer said. "Will he be alright?" he asked U'don.

"Yes. By all means have your doctor check him out, but the bleeding usually happens when a transformation is interrupted abruptly. Have your doctor administer a hypo spray of the substance we gave you. That and a few days of rest and he should be as good as new."

"I want to thank you for your help," Archer said. "I don't know what we would have done if you guys hadn't come along."

"Thank you Captain, and my special thanks to Commander Tucker. He is a remarkable individual. Not many have been successful doing what he just did. Do you think he would be interested in joining us Captain, becoming a hunter?"

Archer shook his head, no, as he watched Malcolm and the others carrying Trip out of the cave. "I think he would say that he was meant to be the Chief Engineer of Earth's first warp five star ship." U'don smiled as he shook Archer's hand.

"Captain," he replied, "what we believe we are meant to be may be indeed honorable and worthwhile, but what we are destined to become is something that cannot be denied." He then left Archer standing there alone.

'_What the hell is that supposed to mean?' _Archer thought to himself.


	5. 5 Bonded

CHAPTER FIVE  
>BONDED<p>

Several Days Later

Trip had been trying to sleep but was unable to. He was still having nightmares about being attacked by the inimical. When he wasn't having nightmares, he was having anxiety attacks in the waking hours. He was exhausted and sometimes overcome with fear and anxiety. Phlox had told him that it would take some time for him to feel normal again and that he should take some time off work to recuperate, but Trip felt that working helped him feel normal more than anything else.

Tonight had been particularly bad. Every time he had fallen asleep he would see Jamie Madison and Ronald Ware's faces. He would see them all together on that fateful night working on that shuttle pod together. He saw their young faces, their eyes full of wonder and their eagerness to learn. Then, he saw T'Vier. He saw her appear among them from nowhere and beat them mercilessly, turn their minds to jello and violently rape them. And, it was like they were caught in a time loop because it happened over and over again.

He swung his legs over his bunk onto the floor and put his head in his hands. He felt like he was on the verge of tears. Suddenly, his door chimed. He rose slowly to open the door, expecting to see the Captain.

"T'Pol," he said, his surprise showing.

"I know it is late Commander", she began, "but I knew you were having trouble sleeping."

"How did you know that?" Trip asked as he motioned for her to come into the room.

"Because I was having trouble sleeping. I need to talk to you. I need to explain what has happened to you."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"When I performed those series of mind-melds on you, something else happened," she said hesitantly. She stood in front of Trip with her hands clasped behind her back as he sat on his bunk. Then she continued. "Commander, a bond has formed between us."

"A what?" he asked confused. "Whadda you mean?"

"Being inexperienced with mind-melds, I inadvertently initiated what is known among my people as a "mating bond."

"A mating bond?" Trip asked "Whoa, you're gonna have to break that down a little more. Just what is a _mating bond_? "

"Do you remember in the cave when you became afraid, and I was able to speak to you, mind to mind?"

"That was for real? I thought I imagined that. You mean we were really communicating telepathically?"

"Yes. That's when I realized that a mating bond had been established between us. Only Vulcan mates can communicate in this fashion."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a minute T'Pol. What exactly are you saying?"

"I am saying that we share the beginning stages of a mating bond to one another. We are telepathically linked and though the bond is in an infancy stage, we can share images, thoughts and feelings. I am sorry. I did not intend for this to happen. I was only trying to do whatever I could to help end the attacks on the crew, to help you Commander."

She lowered her head as Trip just stared at her blankly. "So whadda we do now?" he asked. "Is there anyway for this "bond" to be reversed?"

"Yes. The easiest, most simple way is to spend time apart, do not touch one another, nor nurture the bond for at least one year. It should fade away eventually. The other way is to see a Vulcan High Priest on Mt. Seleya. He can sever the bond."

"Wow!" Trip said looking away. "This is way too much for me to handle right now, okay. I mean, I'm really having a tough time here. But, listen, you don't have to apologize. I really appreciate everything you did for me. If it hadn't been for you I would have never, ever been able to control my thoughts and emotions. I never would have been able to kill that inimical. So, hey, I'm not mad. I'm just tired, way too tired to deal with anything else right now, especially something this heavy. Can we talk about this some more, in a day or two?"

"Yes of course Commander. But, there is another thing I must make you aware of. The bond could not have been formed unless there was a mutual attraction, and affection." There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments.

"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag then, huh?" Trip finally said. "I must confess Sub Commander, I have always thought that you were…beautiful, and I do admire you. I mean, you're smart, competent, and so efficient. I find that, well… very attractive," Trip said looking away.

"Commander, I must confess that I too have always found you to be… aesthetically pleasing. In addition, I have found that your competence in your role as Chief Engineer to be…something to be admired, that is also attractive."

"Really?" Trip asked, surprised.

"Yes. And what you did recently, to protect us and save us all from the inimical; the way you disciplined yourself to learn how to meditate in order to suppress your emotions, was outstanding. You are one of the bravest people I have ever met." Trip smiled a bit.

"Thank you T'Pol. That means a lot," he said, then bent over and ran his hand through his hair.

"You are tired Commander. We will talk more at another time. You need to rest, so I will leave you."

"Please don't go," Trip said almost pleading. "I-I know I don't have any right to ask, but would you sit with me a while. I'm really struggling, and having nightmares… I'm…"

"Afraid", she said finishing his sentence. He lowered his head. "There is no reason to be ashamed. Yes, I will sit with you."

T'Pol sat with Trip as he drifted off to sleep. But his sleep was tumultuous. He finally cried out and sat up frantically. T'Pol rushed to the bed and sat next to him. He grabbed her around the waist and hid his face in her shoulder. He sobbed softly for several minutes. She did not push away, she just held him. She propped up against the pillows on the bed and he snuggled up to her laying his head on her chest like a small child. They stayed like that for a while. She could feel the rhythm of his breathing and his heart beating against her mid-section. She could smell his hair and had an irresistible urge to run her hands through it soothingly, so she did. He didn't notice though because he was sleeping peacefully, finally.

The Next Day.

"Sub Commander," Captain Archer said, "Good to see you this morning."

"It is likewise good to see you Captain, Dr. Phlox."

"Good Morning," Phlox responded.

"I guess Trip still doesn't feel up to joining us for breakfast," the Captain pointed out.

"Give him some time Captain," Phlox replied. "Let him decide when he's ready to socialize again."

"But he is going to be alright?" Archer asked. "He's been through a hell of a lot."

"I think the Commander will make a full recovery in time," Phlox smiled. "He'll need a lot of support from his friends though."

"And he'll get it," Archer said reassuringly. "Think I'll have chef send him a tray to his quarters."

"No need Captain," T'Pol replied. "I told the Commander I would bring him something to eat when I was done."

"Oh, so you've seen Trip this morning?"

"Yes Captain. He had quite an unrestful night, I was concerned for him."

"An unrestful night?" Archer pondered.

"Yes, nightmares. They were quite disruptive and he got little rest."

"So, you were with him last night and this morning?"

"As the Executive Officer of the ship it is my responsibility to ensure the well-being of the crew. Commander Tucker is not fully recovered, I was simply checking on him."

Captain Archer seemed to accept her explanation, but Dr. Phlox cornered her after breakfast as she gathered food to take to Trip.

"So, Sub-Commander," Phlox grinned, "Uh, I was just on my way to see Commander Tucker. "I wanted to see if I could be of assistance, since you said he had an unrestful night."

"That will not be necessary doctor. He is better this morning, and is awaiting my return. I promised I would bring him food."

"And how would you know all of this Sub-Commander?" Phlox asked. T'Pol stopped and stared a Phlox for a moment, before speaking.

"I spent the night in his quarters," T'Pol said as she took more food and placed it on the tray.

"You spent the night in his quarters?"

"Yes. He was greatly distressed and could not sleep," T'Pol explained, "so I slept with him." Phlox stood there smiling like the Cheshire cat. T'Pol looked up, finally realizing what he was insinuating.

"You misunderstand," she explained. "The last thing Commander Tucker needs right now is a sexual encounter. What he needed last night was to be held. So…I held him."

"_You_ held him?" Phlox asked with both eyebrows raised.

"All night," she said.

T'Pol left Phlox alone as she carried a tray of food to Trip's cabin. She carried muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit and coffee. She found herself anticipating seeing him again, even though she had just left him a short while ago. This overly emotional human had proven to her to be worthy of a lot more than she had given him credit for. He was an exceptional engineer, a wonderful shipmate, brave and gallant. And now, he was her bond mate.

When she arrived at his quarters she found that he was just stepping out of the shower and had only a towel wrapped around him.

"Good Mornin', again," Trip said.

"Are you feeling rested Commander?" she responded, trying not to pay too much attention to his undress.

"I am, thanks to you," he smiled.

"I brought you breakfast. Please sit, eat."

"Let me put some clothes on," he said as he grabbed a pair of sweats and a T-shirt from his bunk. He made a mad dash into the bathroom and dressed. When he returned T'Pol was pouring coffee for him.

"You know you don't have to do that," Trip stated, but was enjoying the attention.

"I am aware of that, but your evening was quite unsettling, you require care. I am happy to provide it." Without thinking Trip moved closer to her and grabbed her hand and gently held it. They stood there for a few moments just holding hands and looking into each other's eyes. They slowly broke away and silently sat at Trip's desk. He ate about half of his breakfast as they made small talk. When he rubbed his temples repeatedly, T'Pol became concerned.

"Are you in pain, Commander?"

"T'Pol, we've shared a bed, I think you can call me Trip."

She hesitated before continuing, as if she were considering this. "_Commander_," she began. "I can help relieve the tension in your head." She then stood and walked behind him. She leaned over the chair, her breast rubbing up against his back, and gently massaged his temples, stimulating his neuro nodes.

"That feels truly amazing," Trip said after a while. "My headache is completely gone, wow!" He then absently took her hand from his head and softly kissed it. Again, there was an awkward silence.

"For two people who are supposed to be avoiding touching one another," Trip finally said, "I'd say, we're off to a pretty poor start." T'Pol shifted on her feet as she stared into his eyes. She wanted to say something, but didn't know what. He wanted to say something but didn't know what.

"I…I need to get to the bridge," she finally stated. "I will go now. I will check on you later."

"Okay," he replied, "thanks." He watched her go. "_God_, _I can't wait for her to come back," _he thought. _"C'mon Trip, what happened with us was an accident. It means nothing. …miss her already… would you get a grip! … she is not interested in you that way…..we're gonna get through the next year, this bond will be severed and that'll be that…...Still can't wait for her to come back!"_

T'Pol walked slowly down the corridor thinking of Trip. She tried to push him out of her mind, but for some reason was having trouble. On the bridge, she found herself checking the chronometer several times throughout the morning. When it was time for her lunch break, she had to stop herself from leaping up and running out of the door.

She walked calmly to the mess hall, selected food for her and Trip and headed back to his quarters. Once there she depressed the chime. When she heard his voice invite her to come in, she felt a warmth rush through her. What was she doing? And why was she doing it? She didn't know, not entirely. But, whatever she was doing, and whatever he was doing, she liked it. Then she stepped into his quarters.

"Ashayam!" she said.


	6. Katra

KATRA

Three Months Later.

It was 6:00 am. Trip lay facing the bulkhead. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to roll over, but a small frame snuggled closer to him and prevented him from moving. He smiled a small smile and pulled her arm across his body a little closer. She liked to sleep either right up under him, in his arms or on top of him. Either way was fine with him, he just found it a little funny though. He never would have figured her for the type. But in the last few months he had found out a lot of things out about T'Pol that he would have never thought or believed.

For one thing, he found out that not only did she have a sense of humor, but that she really was pretty funny. More than a few times she had said something in a staff meeting or on the bridge that cracked him up, but of course no one else caught it, and there he was laughing his head off with everyone else just staring at him like he was two kinds of crazy. He'd also found out that she was by no means a "cold fish", but sexy as hell, and willing to try and explore human sexuality rather freely. And though she would never openly show it or express it, she was very compassionate and cared about her colleagues very much.

After T'Pol had helped Trip defeat the inimical and accidently formed a bond with him, they had initially planned to try and dissolve it. When they determined that it would be too difficult to dissolve by having no contact they decided that when they returned home they would seek out a priest on Vulcan for advice. In the meantime they would remain friends and colleagues. Well, they became close friends, then closer friends, then friends who occasionally slept in each other quarters. Now, he didn't know what to call them. He smiled and kissed the back of her head as he thought back to their first intimate encounter.

They had had breakfast together, they had worked together for most of the day alone in a Jefferies tube and they had had dinner together in the mess hall. They had retreated to her quarters where she had given him Vulcan neuro-pressure and vice versa. They had spent the rest of the evening talking. He had finally said good night and returned to his quarters, alone. But he couldn't stop thinking about her, and she knew it. He couldn't get those big brown eyes out of his mind, those full lips and the shape of those lovely ears. He longed to touch them. Try as he might, he couldn't forget her smell, her hair and her perfect, petite body, with all the curves in just the right places. He lay on his back on his bunk and looked down at himself standing at attention, sweating and frustrating as hell. Suddenly, his door chime sounded. Before he could react or say anything, someone was entering his room.

He sat up slightly on his elbow. "T'Pol?" he said.

"You were calling for me," is all she said. "Then she came over to the bunk and got in the bed with him. She was very careful to let him take the lead. He cupped his hand behind her neck, pulled her face toward him and kissed her deeply.

"Are you certain this is what you want?" she asked.

"More than anything," he replied.

And for the next few hours it was as if they were the only two people in the entire universe.

Mess Hall. Present Day.

Trip sat at a table talking to Hoshi, Malcolm, Travis and Amanda Cole, one of the MACOs. They were laughing as T'Pol entered the room. She saw them and froze. Trip felt a chill run through him. He shook his head, then looked up in her direction frowning. Only Hoshi noticed.

T'Pol walked by acknowledging no one and approached Trip. "Commander, when you are finished…frolicking," she said abruptly, "I could use some help with the Science Station Console. As I have made you aware before, there is a malfunction in the unit that needs attention."

Trip grimaced slightly before speaking. "Well, good morning to you too, Commander," he replied. "And like I told you, I will look at your console sometime today, as soon as I get a minute."

"See that you do," she said snappily, and turned to go.

"Ooooh," Amanda said as the others bit back giggles. T'Pol turned quickly and caught Amanda's gaze.

"Corporal," she said in an icy tone. "It would serve you to attend to your duties rather than making unintelligible sounds, at least that way one still has cause to wonder."

"T'Pol!" Trip said rising, as Hoshi and the others just stood there with their mouths hanging open. T'Pol then turned on her heels and exited the mess hall. Trip hurried after her. Amanda was steaming mad at the unnecessary insult, but did not react. She just picked up her tray and quietly put it away and left the room.

"Bloody hell!" Malcolm said to Travis and Hoshi, "What was that all about?"

"Sub Commander T'Pol was fighting mad about something," Travis said. "But I thought Vulcans didn't get mad?"

"She was mad alright," Malcolm said, "But was she mad at Trip or Amanda, or both?"

"And why?" Travis replied.

"You men," Hoshi interjected. "Can't you see it? She was jealous; jealous because she saw Trip sitting next to Amanda, and they were laughing and talking and having a good time." Malcolm and Travis just stared at Hoshi blankly.

"Why would Sub Commander T'Pol be jealous of Commander Tucker and Amanda Cole? Travis asked. Hoshi looked at Travis then back at Malcolm.

"Oh brother," she said laughing. She then picked up her tray and laughed some more as she put it away. "Oh brother," she said shaking her head as she exited the room.

But down in engineering Trip wasn't laughing. He had asked T'Pol to follow him there after catching up with her in the hallway.

"T'Pol this has got to stop," he told her. "The way you acted back there was totally uncalled for."

"She was touching you and you were letting her," T'Pol replied in an angry tone.

"She was what?"

"You were laughing and talking and she leaned over and touched you on your arm several times."

"So what!"

"It was inappropriate."

"We were all just kiddin' around. It meant nothing."

"She should not have been touching you."

Trip sighed deeply and leaned on his desk with both hands. "Look T'Pol," he began, "there is no reason for you to be so jealous all the time. I'm not interested in anyone else."

"I am not jealous."

"Yes you are. And it's getting' real annoyin' too. At first I thought it was kinda cute, flatterin' even, but enough is enough. Now I'm tellin' you to stop it. There is no reason for you to be jealous, I don't want anyone else."

"Then why is it that every time I turn around some female is speaking to you, smiling at you, practically inviting you into her bed."

"T'Pol!"

"Women find you attractive Trip!"

"And what am I supposed to do about that?"

"Stop speaking to them, being friendly toward them, encouraging them!"

Trip looked at her and frowned. "Look!" he said a little more forcefully than he intended as he rubbed his temples trying to soothe the headache that was building, "let's get something straight right here and right now! You don't own me," he said firmly and walked away.

She stood there with balled fists, her control slipping. She could not believe he had this kind of effect on her. She would need much meditation tonight.

Morning Staff Meeting. The Next Day.

Captain Archer had called his senior staff in for a meeting to report some disturbing news. Reports of thermo-baric clouds from other ships in the area had been coming in for the last several days, along with reports of mysterious attacks on members of their crews shortly afterwards. When Trip heard it, he cringed. It had been three months since the attack by the inimical and his recovery had not been easy.

"I have been attempting to contact U'don and his crew but so far we haven't been able to find them," Archer explained. "If there is another inimical in this area of space, someone is going to need their help and need it soon."

"I was under the impression that they were only tracking the one inimical," Malcolm replied. "Perhaps they've already returned to their home world by now."

"They didn't seem like the kind of guys that would just cut and run," Trip interjected. "They knew there were other inimicus out here. How could they ignore that? They were among the few that knew how to kill those things."

"But they'd spent almost their whole lives chasing T'Vier," T'Pol said. "It would have been logical that once she was killed that their mission was fulfilled and they were free to return home to their families."

"Nevertheless," Archer replied, "I want to keep looking for them. Malcom, T'Pol see what you can do to find them. Travis set a course for the Alpha Quadrant. That's the area where the last ship was attacked. I wanna see if we can lend a hand."

Archer then turned to Trip. "Commander, are you going to be okay with this mission? You realize we may be encountering another one of those life forms". Everyone was silent.

"Capt'n, there's no reason to believe that there's another one of those things out there hunting me down, so I'm fine with the mission Sir. Besides, what were you gonna do, drop me off somewhere until it was all over?"

"The thought had crossed my mind."

"Capt'n!"

"If you say you're okay with it Trip, I'll take you at you word. Dismissed," Archer said and everyone dispersed. Before turning to go Archer looked back at Trip warily. Trip forced a half-smile and waived the Captain off. Archer sighed and left the room with a worried look on his face.

Trip waited until everyone had left and leaned over the smart table with both hands. He hadn't said it, but the idea of encountering another one of those monsters like T'Vier actually scared the hell out of him and now he could feel the anxiety building. He hadn't had a panic attack in months and didn't want to risk having one in public in front of crew members, especially since he'd just assured the Captain that he was fine and dandy. When he could find his legs under him, he retreated to his quarters. He needed a few minutes to digest what he'd just heard and to calm himself.

Once inside he leaned up against the door and held his fingers up to his temples. His head was pounding. He had suffered from headaches ever since the attack by the inimical, the mind melds and the treatments for neurological damage. Phlox had given him something for them and meditating with T'pol helped a lot at first but even that was not as effective as it was in the beginning.

By now he was in so much pain he slid to the floor and just lay there for a few minutes. After a while he dragged himself up and stumbled over to his desk drawer. He pulled out a hypo spray, injected the contents into his neck and stumbled onto his bunk. He lay on is back looking at the ceiling, head pounding. It was driving him crazy. He was still on duty but too bad, if anyone needed him, they'd just have to comm him. A few moments later, darkness claimed him.

Two Days Later.

Enterprise entered the Alpha Quadrant and docked with the Nephiteri, one of the ships that had sent out a distress call two days ago. It had been attacked by an inimical three times. Seven crew members were dead, four were catatonic and one was in a coma. There were only 39 crew members aboard the ship, now twelve had fallen victim to the attack of the inimical. Their sister ship, the Berringer, which had a crew of 46, had also been attacked. They too had sent out a distress signal, but Enterprise had been unable to find them.

Archer had sent a shuttle pod to the planet surface nearby to determine if they had crash landed there. Trip had gone with Malcolm along with five Macos and a medical team. They found the ship as well as 21 survivors. Sixteen had been killed by several inimicus, nine had been killed in the crash, several others were injured and the ship was badly damaged. But the away team found a small docked ship inside the Berringer as well. It belonged to U'don and his crew.

Malcolm, Trip, and his team transported some of the crew of the Berringer aboard Enterprise, brought others in the pod, then reported their findings to Captain Archer. U'don had been killed by one of the inimicals and Armdor and Quilla had not survived the crash. They had been very helpful to helping Captain Archer and his team understand and ultimately defeat T'Vier. Now they were providing assistance by leaving their technology behind for Malcolm and Trip to study and use.

"Capt'n, their ship is damaged, but it may be repairable," Trip said. "I just need a little more time to assess the damage. We were just tryna get these people out, so I didn't get a chance to really evaluate the situation."

"I tell you what Trip," Archer replied, "Pick a team of your best engineers and send them down to the surface. They can assess the damage to the ship." Trip looked puzzled.

"Sir?"

Malcolm and Archer looked at each other. Then Trip understood.

"Capt'n, it's like I said before, I don't think there's another inimical out there hunting for me. The one that was after me is dead. Besides, if one of 'em wanted to get at me, they could just as easily get to me here on the ship as they could down there on that planet." Malcolm looked at Archer.

"We understand that Commander," Malcolm replied, "it's just that, well, we're not taking any chances. So wherever you go, I must insist on accompanying you, at least until this mission is over."

"C'mon Mal. Babysitting me isn't gonna keep one of those things from gettin' to me if they want me, now is it?"

"We're not attempting to baby sit you Trip," Archer replied. "But you're a valued member of this crew and you've been through a lot already where those things are concerned. You've gone above and beyond the call of duty and put it all on the line, no one can ask any more of you. You deserve to be protected from those creatures as much as anyone else. Besides, Malcolm worked really hard recalibrating those phase pistols used by U'don and his crew as well as those ultra violet lights, and he's got something he wants to show you that's probably going to make a real difference."

"What we have here Commander is an entirely new weapon. And I'd like an opportunity to show you how to use them. Once I'm confident you're up to speed, I'll feel better about leaving you alone, or going to the surface."

"Great," Trip began. "The sooner we get started, the better…" Then all of a sudden Trip fell to the floor with his hands on the side of his head, screaming. He writhed around on the floor as if he were in excruciating pain.

"Trip!" Archer said as he raced over to where Trip had crawled over to on the floor. "What is it, what's the matter? Malcolm, get Phlox, hurry!"

Malcolm hurried over to the nearest comm. "Reed to Phlox, emergency!"

"Phlox here," the doctor answered.

"Emergency, doctor, in shuttle bay one. It's Commander Tucker, please hurry." A few minutes later Phlox made his way to launch bay one and after running scans over Trip, sedated him and had him moved to sick bay.

Phlox put Trip inside the imaging chamber and was astonished as to what he saw. He also took some time to do some research before informing Captain Archer, Lt. Reed and T'Pol of his findings. He knew they were anxiously awaiting for the news, but he had to verify what he believed the evidence revealed. After a couple of hours he summoned the senior officers to sick bay.

Two Hours Later.

"What is it doc?" Archer asked. "What made him collapse in pain like that?"

Phlox sighed. "Captain, you are not going to believe this," he said. Archer frowned. "I scarcely believe it myself. But it seems our good friend T'Vier left Commander Tucker a parting gift," Phlox said.

"Meaning?" Archer asked.

"When T'Vier began to mind-meld with Mr. Tucker in the cave several months ago, it appears that the meld was partially successful."

Archer, T'Pol and Reed were all stunned at what they had just heard. "What!" Archer said as he glanced at Reed and T'Pol.

"Of course you know her meld did not last long enough to cause any permanent damage or transformation, but look here," Phlox said pointing to the screen above Trip's head. "You see this area of the Commander's brain. This grey area was not present on previous scans, nor does it appear human. This area is Vulcan and telepathic."

"Doctor, what exactly are you saying?" Archer asked getting more and more impatient.

"Captain it appears that according to these findings, my research of ancient Vulcan beliefs and my consultation with a noted Vulcan Priest, T'Vier has left her "katra" in Commander Tucker's head.

"Her katra?" Reed asked. "What the hell is that?"

"Some believe that it is the essence of what one is." T'Pol spoke up. "Their thoughts, feelings, emotions."

"Why would she do that? Archer asked. "And why are we just now finding out about it?"

"My guess would be Captain that because she chose the time and place to make her presence known. My next educated guess as to why she left it with him is that she wished to communicate something to him even in death," Phlox explained.

"How is that even possible and how do we get rid of it?" Archer asked, looking at T'Pol.

"I will need to contact Ambassador Sovol for advice Captain."

"Sovol, why him?" Archer asked.

"Captain, while I am somewhat familiar with the concept of the katra, I am not well versed on it."

"You don't believe it, do you?"

"I neither believe nor disbelieve it," T'Pol replied. "I am simply not well versed on it. The concept was not a subject of regular Vulcan teaching. It was considered a radical concept. However, I cannot ignore the evidence Doctor Phlox has presented us with. Therefore, I need advice. Sovol will know those who are considered to have radical views on the subject. He will be able to advise us as to what to do. I must contact him at once."

"The sooner the better," the Captain replied. "Trip has had enough meddling around with his head. He doesn't need any more of this!" Archer was visibly angry. "How is this going to affect him doctor? Is he fit for duty?"

"I have no experience with this Captain," Phlox replied. "Perhaps we should wait for advice from our Vulcan friends."

"Great!" Archer said."Call me when he wakes up doctor," he then turned on his heels and left abruptly. Lt. Reed followed. T'Pol was just about ready to go when Phlox stopped her.

"Uh, T'Pol, just a moment," he said. She turned slowly.

"Yes?"

"There is something else I would like to discuss with you, but I wanted to wait until we were alone." T'Pol shifted on her feet as she knew what the doctor was about to say.

"Commander Tucker's brain scans show some other activity that previous scans do not show. He has some other areas of the brain that now appear to be uh…different as well."

"You said that he was carrying the katra of T'Vier…"

"This is the area where the katra is located," he said pointing to the screen above Trip's head. However, these other greenish areas show entirely different and new brain activity; very vibrant and active brain activity that is stimulating areas of his brain that is most unusual in humans, they are Vulcan as well. And I am sure that if I took brain scans from you, that I would find some uh, human brain activity, would I not?"

T'Pol hesitated. "Yes," she said, knowing that the doctor was familiar with Vulcan culture and mating practices.

"So, you have bonded with Commander Tucker?"

"Yes."

"Did this occur when you mind melded with him several months ago when you were trying to teach him to control his emotions?"

"That is when the bond was initially formed. However, since that time it has grown and it continues to become stronger."

"So you have become intimate?"

Again T'Pol hesitated. "Yes," she finally replied.

"Does Commander Tucker fully understand all of the ramifications involved here?"

"I have attempted to explain it to him."

"But does he understand it?"

"Not entirely."

"So then I gather you have not told the Captain either."

"No."

"T'Pol, you must speak with Commander Tucker immediately and explain everything to him fully. Tell him about the full effects of the bond, the panar, your betrothed, the pon farr and the blood fever. You cannot keep these things hidden from him anymore, he has a right to know, and he will know sooner than later whether you want him to or not."

"I will speak to Commander Tucker when the time is right. He is ill right now, this will only further distress him."

"T'Pol, it will distress him to find out that not only is he connected to you psychically, but that he is in fact married to you; that he cannot be parted from you, without experiencing great distress, pain and discomfort; that you are dying from an incurable disease; that if you die, he could die as well; that you have a legal husband and a bonded husband; that at some time in the near future you will enter into the Vulcan mating cycle and that you will need to mate or die and that during this time you _could_ conceive a child-though highly unlikely, but not outside the realm of possibility; that if you _did_ conceive a child and your disease is not cured, it could very well leave him to raise a child alone; that is if he survives your death; that is if the child survives; that is if the Vulcan government does not claim the child."

T'Pol stood there stunned. She felt as if her control was about to shatter. Listening to Phlox recite a litany of all her secrets, personal problems and potential future problems that not only affected her, but now affected Trip, was more than she could deal with at the moment. She closed her eyes and straightened her back and thoughts of her leaping on the doctor and ripping him to shreds with her bare hands slowly started to dissipate.

"While a portion of what you say is certainly a very real assessment of my current situation doctor, a portion of your recitation is simply conjecture and speculation of things that may or may not ever occur, and I will not concern myself with them at this time," she said calmly. "I must meditate now. Then I will return to sit with my husband." Then she turned on her heels and left.

Phlox watched her go. "Vulcans!" he said out loud. Then he turned back toward the bio-bed where Trip lay. "Humans," he said out loud, and shook his head as he walked away.


	7. The Hunter

THE HUNTER

The Next Day. Sick Bay 0700 Hours.

Trip could hear a voice in his head very clearly and it was not T'Pol. It was hers, it was T'Veirs'. But she was dead, or was she? But who did all the other voices belong to? There seemed to be hundreds, if not thousands. All he knew was the voices caused him pain, lots and lots of pain. The more he heard the more it hurt, the louder they were, the more it hurt. And the clearer they became, the more it hurt. He thought he was going mad. Weren't people who heard voices in their head considered crazy?

"Commander," Phlox called out as he watched his patient toss and turn on the bio bed holding both hands against his head. "Commander Tucker!"

"What!" Trip screamed as he shot up to a sitting position on the bed.

"I gather you are still hearing the voices and they are still causing you pain?"

"Wow doc, I knew you were a rocket scientist," Trip said sarcastically. "A real genius huh! A-a regular Arik Soon!"

"No need for insults Commander," Phlox frowned a bit.

Trip sighed heavily and fell back on the bed. "Sorry doc. I know this isn't your fault."

"And I'm doing all I can."

"I know, I know. I just…just want them to stop," he said shakily. "Want the voices…the voices to go away. Just make 'em go away," Trip mumbled as he curled up onto his side.

"You know that if I could I would do just that Commander," Phlox replied.

"You said it was one Phlox. You said it was one lousy, murderous, evil Vulcan, in my head, but it's not. And I killed her; I killed her! But now she's floatin' around in my head, talkin to me! How? Why? What does she want from me? W-when is she gonna leave me alone!"

"Come now Commander," Phlox replied. "Let's not get too agitated, it'll only make matters worse."

"Agitated! Get agitated!" Trip shot up on the bed again as he shouted. "I'm already agitated!" "I've got a dead person's brain in my head doc," he said as he hit the side of his head with his palm several times. "I'd say that's enough to get anybody pretty damned agitated! And to make it even worse, she apparently brought a bunch of her dead friends with her, cause they're all tryna talk to me all at once!"

"Shut up!" he shouted. "Just shut the hell up, all of you! Get out of my head T'Vier! Haven't you done enough, taken enough from me! What else do you want! My sanity!"

"Commander, please!" Phlox pleaded.

"She's never gonna stop doc! Not even in death, she's never gonna stop until she drives me mad! She won't stop until she makes me crazy! Well it's working, it's working!"

He could see Captain Archer talking to Dr. Phlox. He could feel two sets of hands trying to restrain him belonging to Malcolm Reed and T'Pol. He had no idea when they had entered sick bay nor when he had gotten off the bio bed and started to engage in a struggle with his ship mates.

"Calm down Trip," Archer was trying to say in a soothing tone, "Listen to the doctor."

"Commander please let me give you another sedative," Phlox pleaded.

"Is it gonna make them go way?" Trip asked in a loud voice as he struggled against his colleagues.

"I can't answer that Commander. But it will calm you and perhaps allow you to rest for a while."

"You don't believe me do you? You don't believe they're real do you? Well I'm tellin' you they are! I can hear 'em as plain as day! I can hear _her_!"

"It doesn't matter what I believe Commander, I just want to help you feel better at this moment. We will continue to try and sort all this out later, hummm."

"What are you tryna do to me!" Trip shouted at T'Pol and Reed still trying to restrain him. "Get your hands off of me!"

"Commander," T'Pol interjected, "we are all here to help you, please let us." With that T'Pol attempted to use the Vulcan nerve pinch on Trip, but surprisingly it did not work.

"Captain, this technique usually works on humans, however, it has proven ineffective on the Commander."

"I said get your hands off me!" Trip then pushed both T'Pol and Malcolm off of him and they went hurdling half-way across the room knocking over a medical tray table and the Captain.

"Bloody hell!" Malcolm said, "I don't remember him ever being that strong!"

"Phlox do something!" Archer said as he picked himself up from the floor.

"Commander Tucker, please won't you let me give you another sedative," Phlox said. "I assure you, you will feel much better."

"But you said you couldn't make the voices go away," Trip wailed as he bent over at the waist, tearing at his hair with both hands. "And all I want is a few moments of peace and quiet! Shhhh. I-I…just want silence," he whispered.

"Okay, okay," Archer whispered back as he approached Trip where he was crouching. He bent down half-way to speak to him. "But look, if you let Phlox give you some medicine, it'll help you get that peace and quiet all the more, I promise."

"He- he doesn't believe the voices are real, so he's probably just been giving me placebos all this time."

"No Trip. The medicine's real I'm telling you. You just probably needed a lot more than he thought. It's just taking Phlox some time to figure out how to help you."

"He won't give me more!"

"Yes he will. I'm here now, and I'm ordering him to give you real medicine and to give you as much as you need to help you feel better. You hear that Phlox, that's an order."

"Of course Captain," Phlox replied as he held his hypo in hand. "Now Commander, if you please, allow Mr. Reed and T'Pol to help you back onto the bed."

Trip hesitated then staggered backward up against the wall. He was tired, so, so tired. At this point he just wanted some relief. He slid to the floor, head in hands. He sat on the floor hard, tears in his eyes. His head hurt, he was nauseated and dizzy and thought he would pass out any minute. But maybe that wouldn't be so bad. All the while, the voices continued yelling, screaming, screeching, talking, crying. Trip finally nodded his approval. The officers hurried to his side, helped him to his feet and quickly assisted him onto the bio bed before he changed his mind or started his paranoid rant and rave again.

With that the doctor injected his patient with the hypo spray. He watched him for several minutes. Phlox frowned curiously. He ran a scanner over Trip again who vehemently objected, then Phlox upped the dose of medicine and injected Trip again considering the state he was in. After a few minutes he finally began to settle down and the pain subsided a bit, but he could still hear the voices. He allowed Archer to sit with him until he drifted off to sleep.

Several Hours Later, Sick Bay.

"Who is he talking to?" Archer asked Phlox, concern on his face.

"I think we both have a pretty good idea as to whom he is more than likely speaking to," Phlox answered.

"How long has he been doing this?"

"A little over an hour now."

"Have you tried to get him to stop?"

"Of course I have, that is why I finally called you," Phlox replied. "At first I was curious to see how long this phenomenon would continue. When it went on and on, I tried to intervene. I thought he was perhaps in some type of sleepwalking state. Then I was concerned that something else was perhaps going on, that the alien life-form had overtaken him."

"And?" Archer interrupted.

"I assure you Captain, this is Commander Tucker."

"Then what the hell is going on?"

At that moment T'Pol and Malcolm entered sick bay. "Captain, you sent for us," Reed said.

"Yes, the doctor wanted us here. There's a new development with Commander Tucker." They watched as Trip continued to have a conversation with himself.

"Captain," T'Pol said. "The Commander is speaking fluent Vulcan. However, I do not recall him ever having studied the language, let alone perfected it."

"What is he saying?" Archer asked. But before she could answer, Trip turned and looked at Captain Archer.

"Capt'n," he said calmly. "I've gotta get down on that planet."

"What?" Archer asked puzzled.

"I need to get down on the planet. I know what I have to do and I know how to do it. I'll need help though," Trip replied.

"Doc, is he coherent?"

Phlox hurriedly ran a scanner over Trip. "This is amazing Captain," he finally said. "He is quite coherent indeed."

"Are you saying he's suddenly all better?" Malcolm asked confused.

"He's more than better," Phlox replied. "I need to get him in the imaging chamber to be sure, but his higher brain function is significantly elevated."

"How is that possible?" T'Pol asked, Phlox knowing that she was asking a lot more than anyone else in the room was aware that she was asking.

"It is the katra. It is controlling his brain function and communicating with him for what purpose, only he can tell."

"Capt'n, like I said, I'm gonna need to get down to the planet. I need Lt. Reed to accompany me," he said looking at Malcolm. "Lieutenant, that work you've been doing recalibrating those phase pistols?"

"Yes?" Malcolm said stepping closer.

"I'm gonna need that data from U'don's ship and more phase weapons. But this time, you need to work your magic on a much larger scale as well."

"How much larger?" Reed asked.

"I need you to help me build a bomb large enough to blow up a small planet."

"What!" Archer replied. "Trip what the hell is going on? For the last 24 hours you've been acting like you were having a mental breakdown or something. You came in here hearing voices in your head, then you spent an hour talking to yourself, in Vulcan no less!"

"I'm sorry about before Capt'n, and I know how this must look to you, but you gotta trust me," Trip said. "I know what I'm doing." Trip then jumped off the bio-bed. "We don't have a lot of time. In addition to Lt. Reed, I'm gonna need at least four-five MACOs. Then Capt'n, I'm gonna need you and T'Pol to get everyone else as far away from the planet as possible. Cause I'm gonna take the Nephiteri and blow that sucker up."

"You're gonna what!" Archer shouted.

"You heard me. I need to blow that planet up!"

"This sounds extremely dangerous and completely illogical!" T'Pol blurted out.

"It is dangerous," Trip replied facing her. "I know that, but it's probably the most logical thing I've ever done in my life."

"Capt'n," he said facing Archer, "I don't intend for anyone else to risk their lives. I just need an away team to help me get the ship and the weapon ready. Then I want the rest of the away team transported back to Enterprise. I'll pilot the ship into the planet atmosphere, get as close as possible and I'll be detonating the weapon, alone."

"You'll be detonating the weapon!" Archer replied. "Trip, you want me to send you on a suicide mission and I don't even know why you're doing it!"

Trip looked at all of his ship mates. He looked very serious and very troubled. He put both hands on his hips and looked down before speaking. He blew out a long sigh.

"Listen all of you. Down on that planet, there are 5,691 inimicus," he said. "It's their lair. All those voices I was hearing earlier, belonged to them. That's why T'Vier is in my head, she told me what was happening, helped me isolate the voices, block them out so I could just hear her.

Remember what U'don told us, that the inimicus have been trying for centuries to figure out how to reproduce. Well, they've found a way. That's what T'Vier's been trying to tell me, that's why we're here. In addition to the adults there's over 24,000 eggs and hatchlings down there. They've spawned a race of those things," Trip said, everyone captivated by his tale.

"But they're not interested in living down there on that planet in peace and harmony as a new species of sentient beings," he continued. "They have one purpose, evil. All they want is to seek out other life forms and to transform them into beings like themselves; to wreak havoc on the mind, body and spirit of others, to kill and destroy. You saw what they did to our crewmates, to the people we picked up on that planet, what they did to me. They want to create their own version of hell in the universe. They have to be stopped and T'Vier has shown me how to kill 'em."

"Trip, that's an incredible story."

"It's not a story Captain. It's real, it's no fairy tale."

"I wasn't suggesting anything of the kind. I knew when we came out here that we may be encountering another inimical, perhaps several more. I know Phlox says you're carrying the _katra_ of a dead Vulcan, and I also know you've been through a hell of a lot over the last few months Commander. You've been under a tremendous strain, and I probably should have followed my first instinct and never even brought you out here in the first place."

"You think I've gone crazy Capt'n?"

"I didn't say that. I just said you've been under a lot of strain, but judging from your behavior earlier today, I'd say it wouldn't hurt for you to take some time off, to get some rest."

"Capt'n, I'd love to do nothing more than take a long vacation on the tropical planet of my choice, but unfortunately, I can't. You said before we came out here that you were afraid that there was another inimical out here somewhere huntin' for me. Well sir, you were right, there is. It's their leader, the one U'don told us about, Apollyon."

"You mean you lied to me so I would bring you out here!"

"I didn't lie to you Capt'n, I just didn't know at the time. But he's here, and he's comin' for me because I killed his most powerful creation. And he will always be comin' for me, from now on, no matter where I go. But Cap't," Trip said moving closer with a very determined look on his face. "I'd just as soon face him right here and right now."

Everyone was silent for a moment, stunned at what Trip had revealed to them. No one really knew how to respond. Archer finally spoke up.

"If what you say is true Commander, we need to contact Starfleet. We need to make them aware of what's out here. We need backup."

"Do what you gotta Capt'n. Go ahead and contact Starfleet if that's what you gotta do. But we can't sit around here waiting for back up. Don't you see Capt'n, as long as I'm on this ship, as long as I'm anywhere around, no one is safe. The only reason those things haven't come up here and killed everybody or taken us is because they're weak from havin' all those eggs and cause they're tryin' to protect that nest! But _he is_ comin' Capt'n, it's just a matter of time!"

"Trip, I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself!"

"Capt'n we can go around and around about this, we can waste time arguing about this. But in the end, we both know what's gotta be done, the only thing that can be done."

There was a few more moments of dead silence as everyone looked around at one another, at the floor, at Trip. Perhaps they should ask some more questions, require more proof. After all, he had been out of his head just a few minutes ago, acting schizophrenic, hearing voices in his head. And now here he is asking them to help him kill an entire species, to let him sacrifice himself to a demon.

But then they had seen the bodies of the crewmembers of the Nephiteri and the Berringer and the crewmembers who lay in sickbay catatonic, staring into space, drooling and waiting to die. They had seen their own crew members' bodies torn to shreds, bones broken and shattered skulls, crushed at the hands of the entity that had attacked their ship. They had seen the blank look on Jamie Madison's face and the cold stare in Ron Ware's eyes indicating that they had no mind left following the brutal assault they had suffered. They remembered Trip.

"Trip," Archer finally said. "You know I trust you, and I want to believe you. I know what you've been through, and I know how this thing has affected you. I've seen what these things are capable of, and no one wants to see them stopped more than I do. But I need more proof. Before I put this entire crew and others in anymore danger, before I risk losing this ship, before I let you sacrifice yourself…"

"Captain Archer," someone spoke up from a behind a curtained-off bio bed. It was one of the crew members of the Berringer that had been recovering in sick bay. "I am so sorry I for eavesdropping," this individual said. "But couldn't help to overhear. I am JaRu. I am Officer First and One, of the Berringer. I was injured in the crash."

"You should not be out of bed young man," Phlox said. "Your injuries are extensive."

"It is alright doctor," JaRu replied. "I have words of extreme importance, and directly related to the matter that you are currently discussing. Captain, if I may?"

Archer looked around as if frustrated. "Go ahead," he finally said.

"Myself and the crew of our ship witnessed the horrific attacks of the creatures called the _inimicals._ The ones called hunters tried to intervene on our behalf. They expected to find two, perhaps three of the creatures' nests on the planet below, not the entire population. Their technology was not sophisticated enough to pick up the signatures of so many. When they realized that they had stumbled upon the lair of the beasts, it was too late. We were attacked by several that were weakened, not able to take and transform, but still able to kill."

"It was U'don that sent out the distress signals to your ship. He said you would bring another like he and his crew, another hunter. That he would understand, that he would know what to do. Look… at the logs from our s-ship, you w-will find what…I am saying…is …true." The young man then collapsed to the floor. Phlox and one of his medics hurried over to attend him.

There were several moments of silence. Reed cleared his throat and finally stepped forward. "Captain, with your permission, I'd like to get my team started on those weapons," he finally said.

"Permission granted," Archer replied. "I want every one of your security team members and every MACO armed with one of those high frequency recalibrated phase pistols." Malcolm nodded and hurried off.

"T'Pol, assemble a team. Begin to organize the crew of the Berringer and the Nephriteri," Archer ordered. "Get everyone prepared to move out within the next 24 hours. Doctor, prepare sick bay so we can move their wounded over here. You all have your orders. Dismissed." Everyone then exited sick bay, but T'Pol lingered.

"Doctor," she began when everyone had gone. "Why can I not feel him? Why do I know what she is telling him?"

"Apparently T'Pol, T'Vier was an extremely powerful telepath in life, and an even more powerful telepath in her existence as an inimical. It seems she does not wish you to share in this experience so she is blocking you."

"Do you think that our bond will remain intact if Commander Tucker survives this mission?"

"I have no way of knowing that," Phlox replied. "Right now, I see no evidence of it. Her katra has completely taken over those areas of his brain that were previously occupied by your Vulcan brain patterns."

"I see," she quietly replied.

"Perhaps it's for the best," Phlox tried to reassure her.

"Perhaps," she whispered. But inside she felt a dull ache of emptiness and loss.

"And T'Pol, do not be surprised to find out that T'Vier's existence as an otherworldly creature, is doing other things to him as well." She nodded then turned and exited sick bay.

She found Trip in the armory with Lt. Reed and approached him. "May I speak with you Commander?" she asked. Trip looked at Malcolm.

"Can you give us a minute Lieutenant?"

"Certainly," the Brit replied, and stepped away to the far side of the room.

"Why are you doing this?" T'Pol asked.

"Weren't you listening up there?" Trip replied. "You know I don't have a choice."

"You are not planning on coming back," she said with almost a quiver in her voice.

Trip stopped working for a few moments and faced her fully. "Look T'Pol, if there was any other way…I don't _want_ to do this, I _have_ to do this, and I think you know that."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"The hell you are!"

"You cannot stop me."

"Wanna bet!" Trip said, staring her down. T'Pol's shoulders drooped slightly, a sign of defeat. Right now Trip possessed a Vulcan's telepathy, control and other abilities, and as he had demonstrated earlier he either possessed their physical strength, or as Phlox said, some effect of T'Vier's otherworldly existence. She quickly left the room.

That Night.

T'Pol depressed the chime to Trip's door and entered the room. He was surprised to see her.

"I thought you were still mad at me," he said.

"I am not pleased with your decisions of late. However, they have not been illogical and my objections have been purely self-serving, so I wanted to apologize."

"You don't have to apologize."

"I do not wish…" she began, closing her eyes. "I don't want to lose you Trip…I –I..." but before she could finish her sentence, he kissed her, and she melted in his arms.

"I'm sorry," he said when they came up for air. "I don't want to leave you, and if there is any way that I can come back, you know I will."

"Why must things be so…so complicated with us?"

"Well, nobody ever promised us a rose garden," Trip drawled.

"A rose garden? What does a rose…"

"Never mind, just kiddin."

"Trip, this is serious," she said pushing away from him. "I never meant for us to become bonded, I never meant for us to become…intimate, but we did. I had no idea that such emotions could be stirred in me, by a … a human no less. But it has occurred and now…" T'Pol tried to continue. She tried to tell him the truth about their bond, that if he died, that she could die. But she was confused because she could no longer sense their bond. He on the other hand, could sense her and feel her very strongly.

"What is it?" he asked alarmed. "What's the matter T'Pol, you're shaking."

"I am distressed because you are placing yourself in peril."

"We've already been over that, I don't have a choice. There's something else. There's something you're not tellin' me, isn't there?"

"Trip, I don't want to fight with you," T'Pol said. "Especially not now. Not when this could very well be the last… the last night we ever spend together." He could see the pain in her eyes and suddenly she looked very small and as if she would shatter at any moment. He relaxed and moved close to her. He reached for her and gathered her in his arms again. He held her closely for a few minutes and they did not speak, he just held her close and she let him. He kissed the top of her head several times.

"I don't want to die," he said "and like I said if there is any way, any way at all that I can come back to you, you know I will. But, you know I can't stand by and let those things get off that planet, don't you?"

"I know," she replied. "I just wish I could help you. I would gladly die beside you."

"I don't want you to die. I want you to live, finish our mission, to go back home, find a nice fella, get married and have lots of kids." T'Pol pulled back from him and glared at the man holding her in his arms.

"That's right," he said. "Just promise me one thing," he continued.

"And what is that Kidiwa?" she asked warily.

"That you name one of them after me," he said attempting to lighten the mood. But, she only stared back into his eyes, not speaking. He could sense her distress so strongly that he once again pulled her to him and held her closely. She struggled not to lose her control and allow the tears to flow.

"Make love to me," she finally said. He smiled at her using the phrase he preferred rather than referring to sex as _mating. _So, he did.

Trip grasped the back of her head her head, bending her mouth to his. He kissed her deeply, drinking in the taste of her, as she countered his every move.

Her body trembled again. But this time it wasn't out of distress or her unspoken inner fear of losing him, it was from her need for him causing her body to shake with anticipation. Gently he drew back, and gently wiped her cheek with his thumb.

He struggled for words in his haze. "Don't speak," she whispered. He felt her heart hammering against him as she pulled down the zipper of his uniform. She then took her hand and slid it under his clothes to the center of his chest where his own heart pounded madly.

She laid her hand against his chest stroked his skin gently, then with more boldness as she sought out his mouth, returning his kiss as her desire overtook her. Trip tugged the zipper down to his navel, shrugging his arms out of his flight suit as they kissed, her tongue exploring his mouth with growing boldness. With his arms freed, he broke the kiss, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. It took only a few moments for the rest of their garments to find their way onto the floor piece by piece between kisses and gentle touches. Then forcefully, he picked her up and moved her over to his bunk, laying her down beneath him, flesh touching flesh.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she moved under his hands, her body instinctively seeking his. They were both helpless in an endless void of pleasure, thought and sensation growing ever more distant as the warm waves of bliss surrounded them, bringing peace and sweet relief to both their bodies and mind.

Later, he lay in the darkness cradling her small frame, listening to her breathe as she slept. The voice in his head remained silent. He dared her to speak too, to say one single, solitary word. She had been gracious enough to allow him some privacy earlier so that he could forget she was there for a little while and not feel as though they were being watched. Her silence and stillness had let him pretend for a while that she wasn't ever present with him, sharing thoughts, feelings and emotions so he could spend what was more than likely, the last night of his life with the woman he loved.

He softly kissed the top of her head as his eyes filled with tears when he thought about what he was giving up, what he was leaving behind, when he thought about the life he would never have with her. But, at least he had this night, at least he had this moment. Because tomorrow would bring him closer to a destiny that he never would have imagined, asked for nor wanted. But for whatever reason he had been chosen and he would not, could not fail. He would face the demon, he would kill the monsters, and he would die with them. Only then would he be free of the one that had taken up residence in his head. He would do what had to be done. So...let the hunt begin.


	8. Apollyon

APOLLYON

Malcolm and Trip had worked almost non-stop building the weapon that would be used to destroy the planet where the inimicus were nesting below. Trip had informed everyone that the creatures were likely not to attack them because they were weak from laying the eggs and obsessed with protecting the lair. No one had ever discovered it before U'don's group had done so, and only a handful of the inimicus had attacked them when they had tried to land on the planet. That's why Trip's team would not make such an attempt, instead he would deploy the bomb to destroy the planet when he was close enough, but at the same time, at a safe distance away.

T'Pol and Hoshi had worked to help get the injured and the guest crew ready for travel. Travis and the MACOs worked to prepare the Nephiteri for the task. Captain Archer worked with two of Trip's engineers to coordinate the transport of the away team from the Nephiteri back to the ship, as well as with Reed's security team and the MACOs to use the recalibrated phase pistols. They tried to anticipate several different scenarios and how they would react in various situations. Phlox and his medics got sick bay ready.

Twenty-four hours later, Travis piloted the Nephiteri near the planet where the creatures had taken up residence. Once they were well within the planet's atmosphere, Trip launched the weapon. Suddenly, several of the enemy life forms appeared and Malcolm along with four MACOs used the recalibrated phase pistols to keep them at bay.

"How're we doing Commander?" Malcolm called out.

"Almost there Lieutenant, hold 'em off a few more minutes. Then we can get you guys outta here."

"That's a big negative," Malcolm replied as his team chased away the last of the creatures.

"What do you mean by that?" Trip asked.

"Surprise Commander, but I'm not leaving. I'm afraid you're stuck with me until this mission is complete."

"News flash Lieutenant", Trip said. "This is a one-way mission for me. So yes you are leavin' and that's an order. Travis, guys," Trip said. "It's time, get outta here!"

"You sure Commander?" Travis asked. "I'd be happy to stay, help you see this through to the end."

"Look you guys. This was the plan from the beginning. I gotta get closer to detonate this weapon, and I can't go back anyway, not with this dead Vulcan in my head and not with my friend waiting for me down on that planet. So you guys get out of here, now, that's an order." With that Trip commed Enterprise and within a few minutes Travis and the MACOs were gone.

"Hey, how come you're still here?" Trip asked Malcolm.

"News flash Commander," Malcolm said. "The Captain gave me a new order, that was to bring you back if any way possible. So he has given me permission to ignore any such order you might give to leave you here alone. I'm afraid I'm here for the duration Trip."

Trip just stood there staring at his friend for a few moments before speaking. "Mal, there's no reason for you to die," he finally said.

"Let's get this done Commander," Malcolm said. Trip hung his head and blew out a long sigh.

"Okay then, since you insist on staying here," Trip said moving closer to Malcolm, "there's something I gotta do. Don't have time to explain, just gotta do it." Then he reached out and grabbed each side of Malcolm's head at the temple. "My mind to your mind, my thoughts are your thoughts, our minds are one."

For a few minutes Malcolm didn't know what was happening to him. He could just feel an invasion of his mind, a rapid overload of information, something about a wall and blocking his emotions…no fear…no anger, only focus and concentration on the task at hand. When he woke up he was on the floor and feeling exhausted. He leapt up.

"What the hell did you do to me!" she shouted as he stumbled to his feet. Malcolm stood there shaking his head as if he was trying to regain his composure.

"It'll pass in about 15-20 minutes or so," Trip replied. "Like I said, I didn't have time to explain it, it just needed to be done. I didn't have time for the soft, easy, pretty version that T'Pol did with me either, so I used the hard, mean, ugly version and dumped as much on you as fast as I could."

"How long have I been out?"

"A couple of hours."

"A couple of hours!"

"Yeah, now are we gonna do this or not?" Malcolm nodded, still somewhat dazed.

Trip then took the controls of the ship and put it on auto pilot, he took the controls of the weapon and began to enter the codes as Malcolm turned on the ultra violet rays he and Trip had installed in the ship just in case more of their uninvited guest arrived. Suddenly a hideous creature appeared. Malcolm began to fire his recalibrated phase weapon on it, but it was upon him within a flash of a second and knocked the pistol out of his hand then threw him across the bridge and started for Trip.

"Trip!" Malcolm yelled.

"You Hunter!" the creature shouted at Trip in a voice that shook the ship. "You think you can destroy what has taken me millennia to build? Never!" the monstrosity cried out. Trip stood up from the console to face it. It was huge.

"T'Vier warned me about you", he replied.

"I am Apollyon!" the demon said in a thunderous voice.

"I know who you are! The One Who Destroys, but not this time Crip Keeper!"

"You pathetic little creature. You slay one of my creations and you think you can challenge me? I've been alive for 3000 years, and I will be alive for evermore!"

"Who do you think you are, God?!" Trip shouted. The powerful inimical laughed and leaped on Trip trying to latch onto his mind. It was surprised to find out that it was not as easy as he thought it would be.

The creature grabbed Trip and laid his hands on his temples. Trip grabbed his hands and with T'Vier's strength was able to remove his hands from his head. But the powerful being grabbed Trip around his neck and lifted him toward the ceiling.

"I will dismantle your body limb by limb and peel your flesh from your bones for what you did to my creation!" Apollyon hissed at Trip and tossed him across the room. "You shall never hunt and kill another of us again!"

"I wouldn't bet… the family farm… on that one!" Trip gasped from where he lay on the floor.

Suddenly Malcolm regained his composure, found a recalibrated phase rifle left behind by one of the MACOs and ran for the inimical and began firing upon it at close range. It screeched and fell backwards away from Trip, who still lay on the floor, shaken,

Malcolm continued to fire a steady stream at the creature as it moved toward him, it grabbed Malcolm around the temple and began a meld upon him. Malcolm screamed but continued to hold the stream upon the enemy force. He saw flashes of violent images and his nose began to bleed.

"No!" Trip screamed as he hurried toward Malcolm and the creature, "No! Leave him alone!" he said, "I'm the one you want"!

"And I will have you this day Hunter!" Apollyon shouted at Trip. "The one you took was special to me, to all of us. She was very powerful and living inside your inferior mind and insignificant existence does not do her evil justice!"

"She never wanted your evil you wretched dog! She hated what she was doing!"

"Emotions! Good!" Apollyon said.

"T-Trip…focus!…T-the …w-wea…pon! D-do…it!" Malcolm stammered. " The …w-weapon."

Trip ran and quickly returned to entering the launch codes to detonate the weapon, ignoring the tauntings of Apollyon. But, he glanced back at Malcolm several times, wanting desperately to help his friend knowing what he was going through, but Malcolm continued to yell at Trip to detonate the weapon.

"Malcolm!" Trip yelled as he stood from the console.

"Noooo…Trip!" Malcolm cried out.

"He's killing you! I can't let him do it!"

"And I will kill you!" Apollyon bellowed at Malcolm. "I will take you and make you one of us this day! Then I will tear into the mind of the Hunter and reclaim my beloved T'Vier!"

"The hell you will!" Malcolm shouted realizing that Apollyon was manifesting himself physically as they spoke. Malcolm then took his phase rifle and swung it at him, hurdling the creature backwards. The humanoid form fell to the floor, changing back and forwards from the shadow form to the physical every few seconds.

"Trip, the lights!" Malcolm yelled. "Turn as many of the ultra violet lights on him as you can, hurry!"

Trip raced around the bridge directing as many of the lights at the creature as he could. Meanwhile Reed took the rifle and began to try and recharge it from one of the energy panels installed on the ship.

"What are you doin?" Trip asked, kneeling down beside Malcolm while glancing over at Apollyon gasping for air.

"Trying to recharge. It's taken more power to weaken him than it took to kill T'Vier. Just hope he stays down a few more minutes. But you should get back to the weapon." Malcolm said. "You must stay focused on the weapon. You designed it and you're the only one that knows those launch codes."

"I could easily give 'em to you. Besides, you helped build that bomb."

"Oh no, you're the engineer, and this is a one shot deal, no room for errors. What if something goes wrong? _You_ have to finish detonating that weapon."

"Mal, he came here to kill _me_. He wants T'Vier back and she and I had a deal. We were gonna kill him along with all the rest of those things down there on that planet. If worse came to worse, I was gonna crash this ship into the weapon. If I gotta die to get rid of that son-of-a-bitch, so be it! I'm okay with that, but I never figured you in either of those equations. Any case scenario, I don't come out of this alive Mal and I had no intention of takin' you with me."

"Well it's pretty obvious that you need help with either one of those plans Commander. You were never going to be able to pull this off alone. Besides, Enterprise is too far away for me to transport out of here by now, and I wouldn't want to anyway. Trip, I don't want to die if I don't have to, but if it means stopping those things from spreading their evil any further, from hurting anyone else, to protect Enterprise, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

"Malcolm…"

"Tell you what, if you'll take care of killing thirty some odd thousand of that bastard's creations, offspring, whatever, do it. That'll piss him off really bad. Then he's all yours. I'll just keep him occupied until then. Would you let me do that for you?" Trip looked at Malcolm, looked at Apollyon on the floor, who had begun to stir, then back at Malcolm and nodded.

"One more thing Mal," Trip finally said. "Those incantations in your head, I know they may seem silly to you, you may even feel foolish sayin' 'em, but you gotta do it Mal. Trust me."

"Just never been really very religious you know," Malcolm said. "Never went in for that sort of thing, the God vs. the Devil, good vs. evil, demon thing."

"Nobody asked you to get religion Mal," Trip said. "I was raised to believe in a higher power, in God. So, I guess the leap isn't as hard for me to make. But don't think about it in terms of religion, or faith. We've got a job to do and killing that supernatural form is part of the job. According to T'Vier, those words have meaning, and they have power. She says he hates them and they'll weaken his resolve, so you don't have to believe in 'em, just say 'em!" and he then hurried to complete the task of detonating the weapon.

Malcolm directed the rifle at Apollyon once more. It was not a moment too soon because the demon had just regained his strength and leapt upon Reed and once again tried to assault his mind. But Reed held the high powered beam at the weakened creature's mid-section, and Trip could hear him repeating over and over again "I do not have the spirit of fear, but of power, and a sound mind!" "I can do all things through the one who strengthens me!" "You have no power over me, for I been given the power to tread on demons, and dragons, and hostile spirits!"

Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash. The weapon had begun to blow. Having accomplished his task, Trip turned quickly toward Malcolm just in time to see the creature begin to transform into shadow-from, then a brilliant light. It screeched as it went from shadow form to physical form several times, while Reed held the powerful recalibrated phase rifle at its mid-section.

The physical form finally fell to the floor and the massive shadow form began to move toward Trip. A beam of light, the non-corporeal form, moved in the opposite direction. Malcolm had done it, he had caused the tri-part being to separate. He then collapsed to the floor, weak and blood streaming from his nose, ears and eyes.

"Trip!" he called out, throwing him a recalibrated phase pistol. Trip caught it and pointed it at the massive shadow form flying at him, engulfing him. Lying flat on his back, Trip held the recalibrated high-powered phase pistol at the shadow form and held the beam steadily on it. It screeched, went from shadow to a transparent form, to a light form several times. Trip heard it call out something, but he couldn't make out what it was trying to say. It was something about a curse, then it flew away.

As soon as he was able to stagger to the floor, the physical form grabbed Trip from the back and tried to strangle him with his forearm. As they struggled, Trip raised the phase pistol to the creature's head and held the beam on it for several minutes until it fell to the floor. But it wasn't dead.

The ship began to shake violently. The energy Malcolm had used to recharge the phase rifle along with the constant use of the ultra violet lights had caused a tremendous power drain on the engines and the ship's systems were overloading, it was falling apart. Trip was thrown to the floor. He leaped up and hurried over to where Malcolm lay.

"Mal, I've got an idea, but I need your help," he said.

Malcolm laughed a little. "What did you think I was going to do, say no? What is it, speak up before Apollyon gets his second or third wind and comes back."

"You know that thing is most powerful when all three of 'em are together. So old Apples is gonna be doing everything he can to reunite with Thing One and Thing Two, right?"

"Yes, go ahead."

"Well, you know the transporter room on this ship is on this deck, just a few kilometers down that corridor," Trip said pointing. "If we took Thing One over here and laid him on the transporter pad, it'll attract the non-corporeal form, and…"

"I get the picture Commander, what're we waiting for?"

Trip then reached a hand out and yanked Malcolm up from the floor. Malcolm grimaced a bit. But once he steadied himself on his feet, they both gathered the physical form up and held him between themselves. They dragged him along as he was still unconscious. They hurried as fast as they could along the corridor trying desperately to make it to the ship's transporter room before Apollyon regained enough strength to attack them again. Once there, they laid the physical form on the transporter pad and Malcolm went to activate the controls.

The shadow form reappeared suddenly and knocked Malcolm half-way across the room. He leapt upon Trip engulfing him once again. Trip held his phase pistol on the enemy at high beam as the creature tried to mind meld with him again. This went on for several seconds and Malcolm feared the worst.

Malcolm could barely watch as the shadow form changed into a transparent form, to a brilliant light form, then to a multicolored form, and back to the shadow form as Trip held the phase pistol firmly at his midsection. For a while he could not distinguish his friend from the enemy; it seemed as if they were one, and Malcolm feared that as the creature was destroyed Trip would be destroyed along with it. But, he could hear Trip reciting the incantations he had recited as well as many, many more:

"I do not have the spirit of fear, but of power, and love and a sound mind;

I can do all things through He who strengthens me;

You have no power over me, for I been given the power to tread on demons,

and dragons, and hostile spirits;

Perfect love casts out fear;

Thou I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil;

I am strong and I am courageous, I will not look to the right or the left;

I will not be terrified or discouraged, and I will be victorious!"

Malcolm had not thought these words to be important or necessary before. He really did think they were silly, but now he realized that there was more going on here than he had believed, so he joined in saying the incantations. Soon, he knew that this creature, or what was left of it, was being affected greatly by these words. Trip had said they had meaning and power and Malcolm witnessed just that as Apollyon grew weaker and weaker and his form began to become darker and tattered holes began to form throughout his mass.

Suddenly, all Malcolm could hear was a loud screeching sound. It was so loud he had to cover his ears as it was causing him pain. He writhed on the floor as it continued for several minutes and felt the blood seeping through his fingers. Suddenly Malcolm saw Trip dive onto the transporter pad on top of the physical form and he knew what he had to do. So, he gathered all of his strength, everything that was left in him and staggered to the control panel. Then there was a burst of light in the room that seemed to spread out all over place and he knew it was the non-corporeal form looking for an opportunity to reunite with the others. Malcolm looked up just in time to see Trip shout the words "NOW!" Malcolm then activated the controls. As he did so, he saw the monstrous form of Apollyon fly onto the transporter platform and merge with Trip, the physical form and the non-corporeal light form, right before his eyes.

Malcolm hobbled to the bridge just in time to enhance the weapon on the view screen and see it crash onto the planet surface. Just before it did so however, he saw a lone figure sprawled out on top of it, unable to remove itself before the weapon exploded, sending the planet into a million pieces.

Malcolm slid to the floor, feeling a wave of relief wash over him and a sense of accomplishment because he knew their mission was complete and their enemy had been defeated, that Apollyon's reign of terror was over. But he also felt a deep sadness come over him also, because his friend was dead.

The ship was caught up in the fallout from the explosion and begun to free fall as it continued to tear apart. Fires begun to erupt. Malcolm lay on the floor battered and bruised, and let the tears fall. He tried to get up but something was on top of him. What was the use anyway, he would be dead in a few moments. Perhaps he should just try and think of something pleasant, but all he could think about was Trip. "Bloody fool!" Malcolm said, smiling through his tears, "best friend a bloke ever could have had. See you in a minute mate." Then he heard someone calling his name. Malcom was confused, maybe he was already dead and just didn't know it. Then he heard it again. Yes, definitely, someone was calling his name and it sounded a lot like…

"Malcolm!" Trip yelled over the noise. "Malcolm!"

"Bloody hell," Malcolm gasped when he saw him. "What are you doing here!...I saw you merge with that thing… saw you transport onto that weapon!"

"No, that's just what you thought you saw," Trip replied as he moved some fallen items out of the way to get to Malcolm.

"No matter, we're done for anyway," Malcolm laughed a little. "I always knew you and I… would somehow…end up biting the dust together." Trip moved some debris off of Malcolm and stood over him with his hands on his hips.

"It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!" Trip shouted over the noise, "and I don't hear no singing, do you?"

"What?" Malcolm said. With that Trip yanked Malcolm up from the floor and grabbed him around the waist. Suddenly Malcolm felt a strange sensation, kind of like being pulled apart. It was a swift movement which caused a massive headache and severe nausea. Malcolm also felt very cold then very hot.

At first it was completely dark. Neither Trip nor Malcolm could see a thing. It was bitch black. Then slowly there was a little light, then things slowly started to come into focus. Malcolm stood there swaying backward and forward trying to get his balance. Then he saw Trip in front of him, staggering and grabbing at the air, trying to right himself as well.

"Where are we?" Malcolm asked. He looked around. Then he realized, they were in Cargo bay two of Enterprise! One minute they were on the bridge of the Nephiteri and it was falling apart around them, and now they were standing in the middle of Cargo bay two, just a few feet away from several other crewmen. The crewmen came running and were shouting something, but neither Malcolm nor Trip could hear them.

They just stood there bleeding, bruised, dirty, exhausted, terrified, shaking, feeling sick and staring wide eyed at one another. It was as if they didn't know what to do next. Then Malcolm smiled a weak smile at his friend. So, Trip smiled. Then Malcolm laughed a little, then Trip laughed a little. Suddenly Malcolm doubled over with laughter and Trip joined in. And they both stood there for a few minutes laughing their heads off, not really knowing why. The crewmen were trying to get their attention, trying to say something to them, but Malcolm and Trip were paying them no attention, they just stood there cracking up with laughter, tears streaming down their faces. They laughed out loud, long and hard, deep belly laughs for several minutes. Then all of a sudden, Malcolm fell forward and Trip fell backwards. They both hit the deck, and once again, darkness consumed them.


	9. Conclusion

CONCLUSION

Forty Eight Hours Later. Sick Bay.

"He's coming around," Phlox said. "Commander. That's it, you can wake up now Commander Tucker."

Trip slowly opened his eyes and tied to sit up. "Take it easy," Archer said holding him back down.

"W-where… where am... I?" Trip asked. Then he jumped up. "Where's Malcolm!"

"You're on Enterprise, and Lt. Reed's right here," Archer said pointing to Malcolm. Malcolm waived. "How do you feel?"

"Like I just blew up a planet, fought with a 3000 year old demon, teleported off a ship, had someone else's brain in my head, but now they're gone."

"Well, that just about sums it up," Phlox said.

"What?" Trip said. "I was just kiddin'."

Everyone looked at one another. "Trip, don't you remember?" Malcolm asked.

"I remember," Trip grumbled. "I'm still workin' on believin'.

"Just one question Commander?" Malcolm asked. "Did you know? That you were going to be able to get us out of there, I mean?"

Trip shook his head no. "Didn't have a clue about that, not 'til that very moment. It just happened. Guess T'Vier was saving that little jewel for last, right before she left me for good. You alright Mal? That thing you fought with on the bridge of that ship didn't hurt you too much did it?"

"Lt. Reed did suffer some injuries," Phlox spoke up. "He had some minor brain trauma from the creatures' failed mind meld and from the teleport. But I was able to repair the damage, thanks to U'don's formula, and he was able to get a few hours rest, so he's good as new."

"Trip, what I experienced in just a few moments with that thing was horrifying," Malcolm replied. "I can only imagine what you and the others endured from the attacks you suffered."

"But Mal," you fought their leader," Trip said. "It was the oldest, most powerful one of them all, and you stood your ground with it. You should have seen him Capt'n. That thing was killin' him, tryin' to turn his brain into mush. But our Lieutenant here was havin' none of it, no matter what it did to him, Malcolm wouldn't back down, wouldn't let go. He got that bastard to tear himself apart, manifested himself physically; we would never have been able to kill him if he hadn't."

"Just doing my job, Sir," Reed replied as if embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. "Besides, Commander that little god-awful mind meld you performed on me over there certainly helped to keep my emotions in check and helped me stay focused on the task at hand."

"Trip performed a meld?" Archer asked.

"Capt'n you already know the answer to that," Trip said.

"T'Vier?" Trip just nodded slightly.

"Sorry 'bout that Mal", Trip apologized. "I know it hurt like hell, couldn't be helped though. Guess the doc told ya huh?" Trip said looking at Phlox. "Probably be a month or two before your head is really back to normal. You know headaches, weird crazy thoughts, nightmares. It gets better though."

"Can't say I'm looking forward to that. But are you sure she's really gone this time?" Malcolm asked.

"I can't feel her floatin' around up here anymore," Trip said. "I can't hear her talkin' to me either. She's gone."

"Nor can I detect any traces of the katra on these scans," Phlox said pointing to the monitor above Trip's head.

"Where did she go?" Archer asked. "Did she join the others on that planet?"

"That is unlikely," T'Pol finally spoke up. "It is a long held belief that when a katra leaves the physical body and it is not passed on to another host, it goes into oblivion. Then it ceases to exist. It truly dies."

"So T'Vier is really dead now?" Trip asked.

"Yes," T'Pol replied.

"Well, part of me is sad that she's dead. But I'm glad she's not in my head anymore. And I'm glad she did what she did. I mean, telling us how to destroy those things. Her life was stolen from her, and she hurt a lot of people, but at least her death has meanin'."

"Doc, is Commander Tucker well enough to resume his duties?" Captain Archer asked.

"Yeah Doc what gives, Malcolm's up and running around am I'm still stuck here?"

"As I said before, Lt Reed did suffer some injuries, but he regained consciousness a lot sooner than you did and his recovery was swifter. You on the other hand, had a little matter of having someone else's brain in your head for a period of time. It has taken several days for your brain patterns and neuro-pathways to return to normal. Actually, you are still healing."

"So Captain, I'd like to observe him for 24 hours," Phlox said. "He's been through a lot and he needs to rest for at least another 24 hours."

"Consider it an order," Archer said. "Now everyone, we've got a ship to run. I think we should let Commander Tucker get some rest." With that Archer, Malcolm and Phlox all turned to go.

"Hey Mal," Trip said. Malcolm stopped and turned to face Trip.

"I'm really grateful that you stayed with me on that ship. If you hadn't, I wouldn't be here right now. You put your life on the line for me back there, takin' on Apollyon like that. I won't be forgettin' that. Thank you."

"You'd do the same for me you bloody idiot! Now get some rest." With that they all said goodnight and left sickbay, but T'Pol lingered.

"Commander," she began.

"_Commander?" _he replied.

"Trip." She said and he smiled. "When you are released, I would like to request an audience with you."

"An audience with me?" he frowned.

"I need to talk to you."

"Why didn't you just say so?"

"I just did."

"Okay. About what?"

"About us."

"What about us?"

"Our relationship."

"What about our relationship?"

"I need to share some very intimate, serious, private, and personal…things. Afterwards, you may not wish to be… in a relationship with me." Trip leaned his head in his hand on one elbow and just stared at T'Pol.

"Okay," he said. "Should I be worried?" She looked down. He could sense her worry. He grabbed her hand. "Please don't do this to yourself."

"Trip," she said. "I am not the person you think I am. But, I cannot speak about this now. I need some time to meditate. I need to have my control intact."

"So, you think if I knew certain things about you, I wouldn't want to be with you?" She only nodded, ever so slightly. "You mean if I knew you had Pa'nar disease. That it's incurable and potentially fatal, that you are still legally married to that Koss guy, while you're technically and spiritually married to me because of this bond we share. That Vulcan's go through the pon farr every seven years, and when you do, you might get pregnant; but if you do, it could be real dangerous for me cause I'm human and you could kill me; dangerous for you cause of the Pa'nar; dangerous for the child cause of the Pa'nar; and it could also piss the Vulcan government off cause you got two husbands and might have a Vulcan-human hybrid!"

"Trip! Phlox! He had no right."

"Oh Phlox nothing! He didn't tell me anything!" Trip said. "T'Vier told me. T'Pol, I cannot believe you've had all this going on and never said anything to me about any of it. If nothing, I thought we were friends. I thought we trusted each other."

"How did T'Vier tell you?"

"She was Vulcan darlin'. Her katra was floatin' around in my head. She was blockin you from feelin' and hearin' me and her, but boy she was feelin,' hearin,' sensin', thoughts, emotions, the whole shebang from you for days babe. But it was like she was storin' it all up or something. It's weird, like I knew, but I didn't know, or couldn't verbalize it until now."

"So, you are angry with me?"

"Damn right I'm angry with you! You didn't trust me." T'Pol hung her head.

"I will leave you," she said and turned to go.

"Get back here," he said. He took her hand. "I still wanna be with you. Don't you know by now how I feel about you, you nut case? I love you."

"You love me?"

"Of course I do!" T'Pol just stared.

"Now say it back," he replied.

"Love… is an emotion," she stated flatly.

He closed his eyes, "Say. It. Back," he demanded through clenched teeth. She hesitated.

"I. Love. You."

Trip twisted his mouth and looked at her with narrowed eyes. "That'll do for now. "Look, when I get outta here, we're gonna have a big fight about this, alright. I mean this is not over, not by a long shot. We got a lot of stuff to work through, but that's what you do in a relationship, you work through stuff together. So, we are gonna get into it, and it'll be a huge fight." T'Pol nodded her head. "Then we'll have great make up sex. But right now, I just want a big, sexy, steamy kiss, a feel up, something to dream about and think about all day tomorrow, and somethin' to help me sleep tonight, so come here."

She moved over closer, leaned in and kissed him, deeply. He placed his hand behind her head then they kissed again as he rubbed her back with his other hand, her back side and her upper thighs. She finally, reluctantly stepped away.

"If I do not leave now," she gasped "I will be forced to join you on the bio-bed, and I will not be responsible for what I may do to the sick and infirmed." Trip laughed.

"And they say Vulcans have no sense of humor." With that he grabbed her and pulled her up on the bio-bed with him. Then she pulled the curtain around the bed closing them off… from the rest of the world.

THE END

Epilogue

Somewhere, millions of light years away, deep in a dark abyss, a creature lay breathing heavily, yelling and hurdling insults at one called _the Hunter._ He spat out venom and cursed the Hunter's name and offspring for generations to come. But, the abyss held him firmly. He had failed again. Once before he had failed when he had been released on the galaxy of Earth's realm over 3,000 years ago, and now having been released to wreak havoc in space just eight centuries ago.

The creature shouted the name of the Hunter whom he hated, whom he vowed to have his revenge upon and leapt to his feet to take flight, but the chains of his prison kept him grounded in the black tarry pit. He was bound, perhaps this time for millennia, or until the one whom he served saw to release him. Until then, the Destroyer… reigned no more.


End file.
